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^    ^*-  ,^»^*/%rfc  .c^erf,,  <^  j,^y 


OF    THE 

SERIES  OF  COI^TERSATIONS, 

AND  ALSO 

CONVERSATIONS  ON   SOME  OTHER  INTEUES'I'ING    S\:i?jr.v  i  r-. 
»ART1CULAULY  RELATING  TO  THE  SAME   PRINCIPIK?-, 

BETWEEN"  A.  F«  A:PfI>  ^.  F. 

xyn    A 

5it.^".^tt:tstioii  on  tilt  j|raMjetic0, 

IN    HEFEHKNCE    TO  » 

THS  RISE  AND  TilXI.  OF  TH^  BSAST, 

THE 

¥^icansi?ig  of  the  SancUiary^  fht  Beginning  and  I]iiratic.hi 
of  the  Millennium^  and  the  Little  Season  ■; 

TOGETHER    ^yITH 
A  «AL.C£ri;.ATl(3:V  SHE'WIXG   THE   EXACT   TIME   OF   filSl 

D^^TH  OF  CHRISTy 

AND,  ALSO,  CALCULATIONS  SHEWING  THE  PRECISE  TIME 

OF    THE 

RISE  AN»  FAI.1^  OF  THE  BEAST, 

AND    THE 

'BEGINNING  OF  THE  MIi:i.E:^^KirM,  &c. 

m'm  ikiB  an:.  #2-^.®  ©di:  b^ 

MINISTER  OF  THE  GOgPtX^, 

Se£«'cb  the  Scriptures,  for  in  them  ye  think  ye  ha  ve  eternal  life. — Johti  5.  S9 


AT^E^S,  Tenn. 
•P/JBUSHED  BY    THOMAS  A.  ANPERSON,  A.  M,  M.  B, 


JoHK  M.  GiBBS,  I*rinter. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year 
eighteen  hundred  and  thirty-three,  by  Abel  Pearson,  in 
the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Eastern 
■Districi  of  Tennessee. 


ill 


T&m  PUBMSMER'S  AI>VEaTl5iE?viE?rT. 


It  has  been  some  time  since  it  was  announced  that 
the   Author  of  the  present  work  had  consented  that  it 
should  be  brought  before  the  Public.     This  consent  was 
yielded  alone  to  personal  friendship,  and  it  is  entirely  to 
this  feeliag,  that  the  world  is  indebted,  at  this  time,  for 
the  most  interesting  and  extraordinary  production  of  this 
the  most  interesting  and  extraordinary  age  of  the  world. 
Let  no  one  think  that  this  is  an  over-estimate  of  the  real 
importance  of  lb i:s  Book,  before  he  thoroughly  examines 
it,  and   weighs  well   its   various   subjects  and  relations. 
This  work  iiad  been   ioni^-  heard  of,  and  its  Dublication 
anxiously  desired,  by  the  learned,,  the  enlightened,  and 
the  enquiring^  of  r/dr  country.   The  celebrity  the  Authoi- 
acquired,  by  the  accuracy  of  his  calculations,  made'-fn  tlse 
years  1811  and  '12^  hi  ret^j^nca  to  liie  downi\iU  oFN^ip-v 
leon  Bonaparte — a  calculate >njv'(^;?^  the  Fr->ph:?ch'',  fcr"',- 
rate  even  to  a  day — produced  a  degree  of  anxiety  and  in- 
terest,   in  reference   to  his  subsequent  researches   and 
writings,  of  very  great  intensity.     And,  truly,  an  event 
so  remarkable  m  itself,  so  confidently  asserted,  and  so 
accurately  I'ulfilled,  togethtr  with  the  undoubted  learn- 
ing, piety,  and  talents  of  the  Author,  could  not  fail  to  ex- 
cite, particularly  among  his  immediate  friends,  ver}'  great 
attention  and  interest,  in  reference  to  all  his  subsequent 
investigations.    And  hence,  they,  with  others,  felt  deeply 
interested  that  the  present  publication  should  be  made, 
at  as  early  a  day  as  the  consent  of  the  Author  could  be 
obtained.     But  the  retiring  and  unobtrusive  disposition 
of  iVlr.  Pearsov,  together  with  his  modest  views  of  him- 
self and  his  Work,  vv'-ould  naturally   have  prevented  it 
from  coming  before  the  Public  during  his  lifetime.  For, 
it  may  be  truly  said  of  him — a  recluse  in  the  midst  of  so- 
ciety, he  never  sought  the  applause  of  the  world,  or  ap- 
peared ambitious  of  thrusting  his  opinions  and  research- 
es   before  it,  solicitous  of  their  patrona2:e,  their  iioma^-e, 
or  tneir  praise.     Therefore,  whatever  of  repatatiaa   ne 
may  possess,  as  a  Divine,  or  what-;ver  of  standing  he  may 
have  acquued  with  the  Vv^orld,   as  an  impaniai  investi- 


.';i^^';Vic  i;L\s  5^t!st  riiM  after  it — it  has  Ibllwwed  hisa.  It 
•iU'st  jr.;t,  i.owever,  be  supposed  that  the  disanguishec! 
Ai-ii  .or  has  ever  held  AnthorHij  in  cpntempt,  or  disre- 
;iaid'jd  ti;e  opinions  of  others — far  from  it.  No  man  can 
he  riU;re  cor.ciHatory,  or  niore  wilUnt^  to  pay  all  the  de- 
iereiice  to  Aiithonty  ^vhich  it  ma}-  righlfully  claim,  and 
;-.U.  tlie  c-;iutesy  and  respect  to  the  opinions  of  others  that 
he  chalienji;es  for  his  own — receiving  nothing  upon 
trust — claiming  the  free  exercise  of  liis  own  intellectual 
]30',\ers — exaniining  every  thing,  and  deciding  for  him- 
■cli',  ill  view  of  the  full  acknov\iedgen^ent  of  the  para- 
j^:cur.t  Authorily  of  the  Word  of  God. 

IF,  the:-!,  in  Peahsok's  Analysis  of  the  Piunciples 
Qi-  THE  Divixe'  Government,  any  error  of  Doctrine  or 
interpretation  should  hereafter  be  made  manift.sf^  no  mail 
v;ill  be  more  desirous  to  see  it,  and  have  it  corrected, 
tiu-n  the  Autlior  himself.  These  remarks  are  m.ade  pass- 
j:;;-!}  ,  and  cnly  in  strict  reference  to  the  facts  th.emselves. 
V'-  5s  zQi  the  object  of  the  Pablisherto  write  the  eulogy 
^sf  his  estimabk  Friend,  or  to  solicit  golden  opinious  froin 
men  in  reference  to  the  Work.  It  is  before  the  Public — ' 
ihey  can  examine  and  decide  for  themselves.  Let  it 
.itand  upon  its  own  merits,  and  vindicate  its  own  reputa- 
tion. Yet,  the  Publisher  may  be  permitted  to  say,  he 
feels  confident  that  no  disinterested  man  who  peruses 
ibis  Bock,  will  turn  from  it  uearied  or  disappointed.  Pie 
feels  confident  that  the  im^portant  subjects  brought  to 
view  in  it — the  lucid  manner  in  which  these  subjects- 
are  handled — the  grand  trail  suctions  which  it  discloses 
from  the  Prophecies,  as  about  to  take  place,  combined  with 
^he  preserit  aspect  of  the  Church,  and  the  actual  move- 
ments of  the  World,  cannot  fail  to  render  this  publication 
peculiarly  acceptable,  not  only  to  the  Church  bu  to  the 
\\  cr[d,at  this  eventful  era.  And,  thus  admonished  of  the 
iliings  that  raust  shurdy  be  done — that  God  is  stretching 
His  ami  over  the  nations,  and  bringing  the  Redemption  ot 
His  people — the  CiiUKCii,  in  Abraham's  faith,  and  v.-ith 
.Vbrahani's  zeal,  nia\  be  encouraged  to  gird  on  the  whole 
Gospel  Armor,  and  stand  forth  ior  tiie  Fight;  for  lier 
Leaiieh,  at  the  head  of  the  Gospel  Host,  "  rideth  forth, 
conquering  and  to  conquer."  And  the  great  m.en,  the 
migiiiv  n\e]:,  tive  wise  men,  the  rulers,  and  the  natioi.s, 
r.iav  kaow.  that  "  the  imok  ®f  the  Lord  is  h\  their  nose  , 


r.nd  Ill's  bridle  in  their  rnouth  ;"  that  '*.  His  counsel  sh:ul 
stand,"  and  He  ''will  do  all  His  pleasure;"  that  He- 
has  numbered  the  days  of  the  trinuiph  of  the  wicker], 
and  that  He  is  arising',  "  to  trample  them  in  His  I'ury.'" 
Then,  let  him  that  readeth,  itndasta^.dy  jndg-e,  and 
promptly  decide  for  himself,  whether  he  takes  his  stand 
for  the  Prince  of  Peace,  or  for  the  Powers  of  Darknes.-i. 
For  the  time  is  but  short,  and- the  days  are  few  and  evii. 
While  the  Publisher  congratulates  the  Public  that  th.is 
Work  is  now  before  them,  and  himself,  that  his  osyw  labo- 
rious, responsible,  and,  to  him,  -az^\'  undertaking-,  is  ended; 
he  o-reatlv  reo^rets  that  the  number  of  volumes  nublished, 
will  fall  so  far  short  of  the  actual  demand  alreiidy  made 
for  them.  The  edition  was  at  first  coni;ld.:i\.d  kir.^",  and 
the  Bock  was  nearly  half  printed  before  it  was  fully  ascer- 
tained that  at  least  twice  the  number  of  volumes  preparing 
for  the  Public,  m.ight  have  safely  been  printed,  and  was 
actually  demanded.  But  the  Publisher  feels  gratified 
that,  although  the  Public  'if  this  section  of  country  (East 
Tennessee)  will  not  be  much  more  than  supplied  ;  yet, 
that  it  was  through  his  mstrumentality  that  the  Work 
lias  been,  permitted,  by  its  distinguised  Author,  to  be 
brouf2:ht  before  them  at  so  early  a  day. 

In  this  country,  no  production  fr  ym  the  pen  of  Abel 
Pearson  would  be  benefitted  by  the  recommendation  of 
any  man.  No  mari's  commendation  would  giv^e  it  higher 
public  estimati'jn.  Bat,  as  the  people  here  may  have 
some  curiosity  to  knowv/hat  competent  and  distinguish- 
ed  individuals  elsewhere  think  of  the  Work,  tlie  Pub- 
lisher subjoins  the  following  certificates,  begging  leave, 
at  the  same  time,  to  add,  that  this  is  done  simply  to  grd^- 
t'liy  cu/'iositi/,  m^d  ?iof  because  greater  importance  is  at- 
tached to  the  opinions  of  our  brethren  en  the  other  side 
of  the  Alleghany,  than  to  the  ophiions  of  equally  comi)e- 
tent  men  on  this  side.  We,  however,  in  the  "Gf.eat'' 
West,  are  aware  that  a  feeling  exists  among  our  fellow- 
citizens  on  the  other  side  of  the  Mountain,  that  we,  on 
this  side,  do  not  know  every  thing — while  it  is  our  opi- 
nion that  there  are  some  things,  which  our  fellow- citizejis 
on  the  other  side  of  the  Mountain,  do  not  unders[and  as 
well  as  we  do. 

Let  it  not  be  understood,  hov/ever,  that  these  re- 
marks are  made  in  any  invidious  spirit — far  from  it.    We 
AS> 


M 


:.ic  -.ill  children  of  ihe  same  familv — Countrymen — Ami:- 
i-.ic.ws — Citizens  of  the  United  Statls — Fellow-Ci- 
rizzM.s  of  thai  Great  Republic,  ilie  viuintle  of  whose 
}:rorection,  'like  the  blue  skj-,  bendeth  over  v.s  all.'  And  it 
is  fc.ndly  hojjed  that  we  will  unceasingly  endeavor  to  emu- 
lite  each  other  in  Qvcry  ^food  wofd  and  work,  in  cultivatmg 
and  chcri.shin^^' the  pure  spirit  of  the  Ciospel,  which  is  a 
spintof  {brbearance  and  Univeiisal  Benevolence — tend- 
ing- to  uviTE  all  MANKIND  hi  out  comnion  bond  of  Bro- 

TIIERTIOOD. 

The  opinions  of  tlie  two  younc^  ladies  of  Saybrook. 
Connecticut,  are  thankfully  received,  highly  valued,  and 
peculiar'}'  ^^ratifying,  and  the  Publisher  introduces  them 
I'j  the  c-Aclusion  of  the  cevtiiicates  of  hieveral  D.  D's.  of 
no  ord'..  ■v:y  note. 

It  'vas  intended  at  firstj  to  ha\'e  printed  the  whole 
of  this  Book  on  the  large  type  with  which  it  was  coni- 
inenced ;  but  it  was  fo;ind  that  upon  this  plan,  the 
Book  v/ould  be  swelled  to  at  least  six  hundred  pages, 
v.  hicli  would  have  given  it  a  tldckness  disproportionate 
to  its  length  and  breadth.  The  size  of  the  type  wan 
ohanged,  but  the  Book  still  retains  the  same  quantity  of 
■natter  that  it  v.-ould  have  had  upon  the  first  plan.  The 
Note5  are  incorporated  with  the  body  of  the  Work, 
which  vrill  no  doubt  give  general  satisfaction. 
Athens,  Febniar?/,    1833. 


CERTIFICATES*, 

From  the  Reverend  T.  H.  Skinner,  D.  D.-—  • 
'-  This  is  the  production  of  an  active  and  eiiergetic 
mind  ;  a  system  of  Divinity  taken  neither  from  I'mretiii 
nor  Hopkins,  but  excogitated  and  unfolded  by  the  Au- 
iiior,  in  the  free  exercise  of  his  own  powers,  controlled 
oniv  bv  a  paramount  regard  to  the  Oracles  uf  God. 
'     '  THO.  d.  SKINNER." 


From  the  Reverend  Jas.   Patterson  : — 
"T  have  read  the  manuscript  Conversation  between 
A.  P.  and  N.  P.  and  have  rarely  read  a   i'heological  work 
of  aiore  originality  of  thought.     I'he  Author  is  a  man  svi 
fCcncriSy  thinking  for  himself,  and  like  hmiself. 


\il 


"In  some  of  'lis  illus'raLiona,  tiiare  is  a  sirnpiJci'V, 
brevit}-,  and  force,  the  equal  of-wliich  I  have  seldom  se-Ji3. 
For  instance,  iris  descriotion  of  Eternity — hi's  advice 
to  persons  long  in  doubt  whether  they  had  ever  been  bcra 
again,  is  also  peculiarly  fg^xihle.  '.Vere  it  in  print,  it 
would  not  fail  to  add  li^-ht  to  the  vasdv  increasin;"  li^jht 
of  the  age,  nor  be  read   wi'liiut  interest, 

-  i  \S.  PATTERSON. 
'■'■  Philadelphia,  Feb.  15,   1827.'^ 


5        From  the  Reverend  John  Cotton  Smv-im  :~- 

^'FroiTi  the  best  attention  I  htive  hctn  enabled  to  be- 
stow upon  the  forei?;oing  ?viS.,  I  should  concur  substan- 
tially in  the  opinion  expressed  bv  ihe  Rev.  Mr.  Pat- 
terson. 

JOHN  COTTON  SMITIT 
Charon,  Conn.  23d  April,  1827." 


From  the  Rev.  Isaac  A^ndersov,  1).  D.  Professor  of 
The' logy  in  the  S  utherii  and  Western  Theological 
Seminary  : —  ■ 

"  T  have  had  the  pleasure  of  an  intimate  acquaint- 
ance with  the  .  Author  of  the  following  Conversaiions, 
for  many  years ;  and  have  known  his  patient  and 
extensive  examination,  not  only  of  Theologv,  hut  of 
most  other  subjects  within  the  circle  of  human  kiiovr- 
ledge.  The  topics  discussed,  in  this  v/ork,  will  be  ac- 
kno^vdedged,  by  every  lover  of  Biblical  knovvledge,  to 
be  of  the  first  importance  ;  and  they  embrace  most  of 
the  subjects  contained  in  a  re,^'ular  system  of  Divinity. 

"  The  Author  has  not  only  a  just  claim  to  originali- 
ty, but  has  the  merit  of  placing  the  subject  before  the 
reader,  in  a  concise  and  perspicuous  manner,  witli  great 
force  of  argument.  He  has  made  the  infallible  Oracles 
of  Truth  his  Polar  Star  ;  and,  in  the  roughest  seas,  lias 
set  his  compass  with  great  judgment.  And  the  cundidj 
mtelligent  reader  will  acknowledge  that  he  lands  h'm 
safely  in  the  haven  of  truth,  where  his  vessel  may  ride 
secure  from  the  tempests  and  tornadoes  of  error. 

"  The  value  of  his  Treatise  on  the  Propheciep,  is 
above  ah  price.     The  Bible,  and  the  Bible  alone,  fur- 


Viil 


nishes  the  data  on  which  ali  his  calculations  are  i.ci^ec. 
If  these  data  are  rightly  assumed,  then  the  calculation  hr.s 
ail  the  })r.ecision  and  certainty  of  ?-viathematical  demon- 
stration; arid  it  would  be  difficult  to  shew  that  the  data  are 
not  ti-.ken  in  their  true  sense.  I  have  been  familiar  with 
hiii  calculations  since  the  year  1812,  or  the  beginninp-of 
I8I0  ;   and  ha\  e  had  a  copy  of  them  nearly  ever  since. 

"In  most  writers  on  the  Prophecies/ the  reader  is 
carried  into  the  obscure  records  of  antiquity,  there  to 
hunt  for  dates  imd  events,  from  which  to  conimence  the 
caicuUitions.  But  he  is  left  to  giabbie  v.ith  tlie  perplex- 
ing; C]Ui-stion:— 

"  Maynot  a  fhbiisanff  events,  had  they  heeii  n'ccnlcd^  and 
even  of  tho"e  that  are  recorded,  have  mited  asrveH for  the 
ivr/fcr  to  cDwmence  his  caJculatiGns^  as  the  particidar  cv ent 
he  hic."  cho.ieri  ? 

"  Hence,  soir.c  date  the  rise  of  the  Beast,  in  the  fifth 
century,  others,  in  the  sixth,  and  some,  even  in  the  se- 
venth. The  Rev.  Wiliiam  C.  Davies  is  an  exception. 
But  he  failed  to  shew  the  difference  belu-eeji  the  Pro- 
})hetic  and  the  Civil  Year;  and  lie  also  failed  to  shew, 
that,  !)etween  the  fall  of  tlie  Beast,  arid  the  commence- 
nient  of  the  Millennium,  there  would  be  a- period  of  75 
years  ;  of  course  he  fixed  the  commencement  of  the  Mil- 
lennium at  a  period  that  events  will  surel}"  contradict. 

"  The  correct  method  of  calculating  these  Prophecies, 
must  necessarily  have  a  PTeat  influence  on  the  interore- 
tation  of  other  passap;es  of  Scripture  connected  with 
these  predictions.  These  passages  have  alv.ays  been 
interpreted  wronp;,  by  the  writer  vvhose  calculations  have 
been  erroneous.  The  reader  will  be  edified  and  delight- 
ed with  the  interpretation  g-iven  to  such  passages,  in  the 
following  work. 

ISAAC  ANDEPvSON. 
Maryville,  January  30,  1833  " 


Miss  Laura  Ayres,  of  Saybrook,  Connecticut,  writes 
to  a  friend,  on  the  subject  of  the  Work,  in  the  fi^llowj-g 
terms  : — 

"  I  have  read  your  Conversations,  and  have  received 
many  new  and  elevating  ideas  of  Scriptiiral  truti)s,  w  ich 
I  had  not  before  comprehended.     In  viewing  the  great 


siibject  of  the  Atoneinent,  In  the  clear  manner  in  \vh)ch 
it  is  inve.sti,(^ated,  I  heive  felt  my  f  utli  and  hopes  of  being 
a  sharer  in  the  glorious  and  unfathomable  realities  of  it^ 
much  strengthened  and  confirmed.  I  thit^k  an  enlar;::';ed 
view  of  the  character  of  the  Divine  Beina;,  as  it  is  dis- 
played in  that  M'ork,  must  ever  have  the  effect  of  expiting 
the*stronp;est  feelings  of  gratitude  to  the  bounteous  Cre- 
ator, and'the  best  feelings  of  benevolence  to  our  fellow- 
mortals.  There  is  an  overwhelming  grandeur  in  some 
parts  of  the  subjects  that  your  author  has  considered,  tha^ 
I  may  quote  the  saying,  '  Counsel,  in  the  heart  of  man, 
is  like  deep  water,  but  a  man  of  understanding  will  dra\f' 
it  out.'" 

Miss  Mary' Ayres,  a  sister  of. the  abave  lady,  writes 
as  follows : — 

"  The  Author,  in  his  flights  of  abstract  reasoning,  truly 
-soars  far  above  the  little  embellishments  of  ornament,  i 
think  ornament,  in  such  an  elevated  structure  of  thought 
as  this,  would  diminish  or  hide  its  real  beauty  and  gran- 
d^eur,  as  much  as  it  would  some  trenisnaously  sviblime 
natural  object,  to  colour  or  adorn  it  with  some  little  cti- 
fious  works  of  architecture.  This  work  has  given  me  a 
clearer  and  more  definite  and  elevated  view  of  the  incon- 
ceivable excellence  and  transcendent  perfections  of  the 
Divine  Being,  in  his  emanations  of  character,  in  the  Gov- 
ernmental Principles,  than  I  have  ever  had  before.  I 
think  the  exhibition  here  given,  of  the  principles  and 
end  of  the  Moral  Law  and  the  Gospel,  will  have  the  ef- 
fect to  make  Christians  feel  a  greater  assurance  of  their 
acceptance  in  the  Beloved,  and  a  greater  confidence  in 
his  holy  administrations.  I  have  received  many  new 
ideas  (some  very  interesting  ones)  on  the  Atonement^ 
particularly  that  of  Christ,  as  our  Prophet,  tounibid  to 
us,  through  the  annals  of  eternity,  the  *  mysteries  tlia't 
have  been  hidden  for  ages:'  some  entirely  new  views  on 
the  General  Judgment,  and,  indeed,  from  almost  eveiy 
argument  that  is  advanced. in  the  Conversations.  The 
Subjects  here  treated  of  are  ijoundless  and  unfathom.able 
as  eternitv." 


IP*I?FFACE, 

A  part  of  the  {blirvving^  Conversations  are  the  su!)- 
slance  of  snme  verbal  Conversations  w^hich  really  took 
p'' ce,  in  time  past,  between  A.  P.  and  N.  P.  Since 
that  lime,  the  remainder  has  been  written,  and  conduct- 
ed -.AcY  the  same  manner,  because  it  is  thoujjjht  to  be 
the  sl^ortest  and  best  manner  of  instructing  those  who 
1i3ve  tlie  most  need  cf  help.  And,  if  such  are  assisted, 
In  anj' measure,  ir-  understand  the  subjects  here  discuss- 
ed, tliey  will  he, easily  understood  by  others  more  ad- 
varrcd  ;  an^l  the  approbation  of  the  learned  will  be  pcr- 
manernlv  secured. 

Ir;  this  view,  the  most  plain  and  familiar  style  has 
been  adopted  ;  and  any  attempt  at  ornament  has  been 
carefully  avoided.  Indeed,  the  topics,  and  the  manner 
of  discussing  theni^  are  of  such  a  nature  as  not  to  admit  of 
ornament ;  it  could  not,  thereff>»"e,  whh  propriety,  be  at- 
teri:::re.:;.  Btitron  the  other  hand,  propriety  seemed  t© 
forbid  such,  i.n    (tempt. 

Ornament  should  never  be  admitted  in  writing-, 
any  further  than  -Tiay  be  consistent  with  clearness.  The 
■writer  has  therefore,  felt  a  constant  determination  that 
no  idea  should  be  darkened  by  an  attempt  at  ornament. 

Ir  has  l;een  the  intention  to  be  as  short  as  the  differ- 
ent subjects  would  admit,  and  to  comprise  as  much  mat- 
ter in  as  small  a  compass  as  possible.  But,  feeling  con- 
vinced that  these  subjects  are  worth  being  well  under- 
stood, it  has  been  the  constant  aim  to  make  them  plain, 
by  adaptirig  purity,  propriety,  and  precision  of  language, 
to  clearness  of  conception.  How  far  the  object  has  been 
attained,-  must  be  determined  by  the  careful  and  friendly 
reader.  But  it  is  conlidehtly  hoped,  that  the  time  is 
coming,  and  not  far  distant,  when  these  subjects  will  be 
mucli  better  understood  than  they  have  been  heretofore. 

The  Autlior  Oiters- no  apology  for  the  publication  of - 
this  work,  nor  for  the  delay  of  its  publication.  If  it  be 
true,  it  needs  no  apology  ;  and,  if  it  be  untrue,  no  apolo- 
g}  could  justify  it,  in  the  sight  oi" either  God  or  man.  So 
lai  .;•;.  It  '.nay  be  truth,  according  to  the  Biijle,  the  Author 
ho|.cs  it  will  meet  the  approbation  of  God,  and  ail  goo:l 


men;  but,  so  far  as  il...  .>■  ■:....  •,  y  i^^ave  erred,  he  hopes 
and  prays,  that  no  injii^y  may-  be  done  to  others,  Lind 
that  himself  may  be  forgiven. 

A  number  of  typogrn.;hical  inaccuracies  have,  un- 
avoidably, crept  into  the  v/oik,  in  the  progress  of  print- 
in.g,  which  the  critical  reader  cannot  fiiil  to  observe, 
but,  it  is  believed,  there  are  none  that  can  mislead  the 
attentive  reader. 

This  work  is  designed  for  no  one  particular  class  of 
readers;  but  for  all  readers  into  vvl]ose  hands,  in  the  course 
©f  the  ])rovidence  of  God,  it  may  fall. 

However,  of  those  who  are  the  most  learned  and 
skilled  in  the  subjects  here  discussed,  it  only  asks  their 
approbation  and  encouragement,  while  it  promises  them 
a  little  entertainment  only,  and  that,  perhaps,  but  in  some 
parts  of  the  Work. 

Of  those  that  are  less  advanced,  it  asks  their  care- 
ful attention,  and  promises  them  some  assistance  in  al- 
most all  parts  of  the  Work. 

But  of  those  that  are  beo:inners,  and  those  Vv^hose 
circumstances  are  unfavorable  for  general  readino",  it  asks 
nearly  their  whole  attention  ;  and  promises  them,  be- 
sides what  is  said  on  the  Prophecies,  a  short,  plain  Svs- 
tem  of  Divinity,  which,  if  they  v/ill  understand  it  well, 
will  prevent  them,  ever  afterwards,  from  being  blovvm 
about  by  any  wind  of  doctrine. 

The  Writer  now  makes  a  p:;eneral  acknowledgment 
of  his  oblig-ation  to  all  the  writers  from  whom  he  may 
have  derived  any  assistance  through  the  course  of  his 
life  ;  but,  as  he  claims  the  rip-l-t  o^afrreeino",  or  diae'ree- 
ins-,  with  any  uninsoired  writer,  he  thinks  himself  not 
bound  to  specify  everv  a.srreemert  and  disag-reement,  that 
may  be  between  his  own  views  and  the  v'ews  of  others;  in 
all  such  cases,  let  the  inteHiffent  reader  judgre.  Yet,  I 
will  say,  that,  of  all,  the  atterrrts  to  shew  the  rise  and 
fall  of  the  Beast,  which  I  ^a\  e  seen,  Mr.  Dav's's  calcula- 
tion comes  nearest  tomv  notir  n.  Put  T  shall  leave  it  for 
the  reader  of  both,  to  judge  the  agreements  and  disagree- 
ments between  us. 

■■  ^  Many  valuable  nroductions  have  appeared,  both  on 
Divinity  and  on  the  Prophecies;  but  there  seemed  to  be 
room  for  much  further  improvement.  And  it  has  been 
the  object  of  the  writer  to  throw  his  mite  in  the  com- 


xu 


mon  stock.  Aucl,  however  it  may  appear  to  otlievii,  ti 
IiaS  caused  the  Author  no  small  degree  of  labor  and  in- 
vestigation ;  but  tlie  pleasure  and  i;p,j:rov(.inent  he  has 
derived  from  it,  ]'ia\e  made  the  labor  comparatively 
light.  And,  if  it  shall  proportionably  prouiote  the  gloiy 
of  God,  and  the  good  of  others,  the  Writer's  highest 
hopes  wili  be  realized. 

And,  now,  into  the  hand  of  God  I  commit  the  whole 
of  it,  praying  that  his  blessing  may  accompciny  it  w'ler- 
ever  He,  in  his  Providence,  nia}  send  ii,  and  niake  it  in- 
strumental in  the  conviction  and  conversion  oi  sinners, 
and  of  building  up  Christians,  in  the  knowledge  and 
practice  of  the  truth,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


C(DSlTIl"3§~^'a?ll©H 


N.  Friend,  A.  I  wish  you  to  state  some  reasons  why 
the  present  Universe  may  not  have  existed  from  eterni- 
ty, with  all  its  marks  of  contrivance,  as  an  original  and 
necessary  property. of  its  existence? 

A.  Because  of  the  absurdity,  it  could  not  have  existed 
in  that  way.  It  is  as  if  one  should  ask,  why  may  not  a 
thing  be,  and  not  be,  at  the  same  .time. 

Its  marks  of  contrivance,  are  marks,  or  evidence  that 
the  present  Universe  has  been  contrived,  and  made,  by 
9ome  being,  who  had  wisdom  to  contrive,  and  power  to 
make  it.  For,  if  there  had  ever  been  a  period  when  no- 
thing existed,  there  would  have  been  nothing  yet,  nei- 
ther would  any  thing  ever  exist;  it  being  very  absurd 
to  suppose  that  any  thing  should  ever  take  place  from 
nothing,  no  one  producing  it.  Wherefore,  any  thing  that 
has  had  a  beginning  and  was  made,  must  have  marks,  or 
evidence  of  its  beginning,  and  of  its  having  been  made. 
But  if  that  thing  had  no  beginning,  or  was  not  made; 
that  thing  could  not  possibly  have  marks  or  evidence  of 
a  beginning,  or  of  being  made.  Any  thing  must  be  the 
way,  its  real  marks  or  evidence  proves  it  to  be;  other- 
wise, marks  are  no  more  marks,  and  evidence  is  no  m^ore 
evidence;  and  no  thing  whatever  could  be  proved. 

Nothing,  therefore,  can  be  more  absurd,  than  to  sup- 
pose that  the  marks  or  evidence  of  the  beginning  of  the 
present  Universe,  should  be  an  original  and  necessary 
property  of  its  existence  without  a  beginning.  If  the 
present  Universe  had  no  beginning,  then  it  would  have 
been  impossible  that  it  could  have  had  a  beginning,  or 
any  raaiks  of  it.  And  if  it  had  a  beginning,  then  it 
would  have  been  impossible  that  it  could  have  had  no 
beginningj  or  any  marks  of  having  none. 


But  ali  tlie  inarks  of  contrivance  of  the  preseat  Uni- 
terse,  are  just  so  much  evidence  that  the  present  Uni- 
niverse  has  nothing  in  the  nature  of  it,  but  what  might 
have  been  contrived  and  made.  Strictly  speaking,  all 
the  marks  of  imperfection,  are  evidence  it  might  have 
had  a  beginning;  and  all  its  m.arks  of  contrivance  are 
so  much  evidence  that  it  might  have  been  contrived,  and 
made;  and  also,  that  there  might  have  been  some  being 
wise  enough  t'^  contrive,  and  powerful  enough  to  make  it. 

But  it  the  present  Universe  had  no  beginning,  it  m.ust 
necessarily  have  some  distinguishing  thing,  in  the  na- 
ture of  it,  different  from  every  distinguishing  thing  that 
could  exist  in  the  nature  of  it,  if  it  had  a  beginning, 
or  even  if  it  might  have  had  a  beginning.  And  all 
its  distinguishing  marks  must  be  positive  proof  of  the 
fact,  let  it  be  which  way  it  will.  Otherwise,  it  would  have 
marks  contrary  to  its  nature.  Wherefore,  if  it  had  a 
beginnipo',  it  would  be  contrary  to  its  nature  to  have  had 
no  beginning;  and  if  it  had  no  beginning,  it  would  be 
contrarv  to  its  nature,  to  have  had  a  beginning;  and  con- 
trary to  the  nature  of  one,  that  could  have  had  abegin- 
ning.  And  if  it  had  no  beginning,  it  would  be  contrary 
to  its  nature,  to  have  been  contrived  and  made;  and  also, 
contrary  to  the  nature  of  one  that  could  have  been  con- 
trived, and  made. 

It  is  plain,  therefore,  that  all  the  marks  of  contrivance^, 
that  prove  that  the  present  Universe  cmld  possibly  have 
been  contrived  and  made,  do  prore  that  it  was  absolute- 
ly contrived  and  made;  and  also,  that  there  was  a  being, 
sufficiently  wise  and  powerful,  who  did  contrive  and 
make  it. 

All  those  marks  of  contrivance,  which  prove  that  the 
present  Universe  could  have  been  contrived  and  made, 
and  of  course^  really  was  contrived  and  made,  equally 
proyethat  it  could  b^:  ended;  and  that  he,  whr  begar;  it, 
could  end  it*  For  whatever  might  liave  a  beginning, 
might  have  an  end' 


i^ut  whatever  has  existed  without  a  beginning,  eoiild 
not  possibly  have  had  a  beginning,  neither  could  it  pos- 
sibly have  an  end.  For  all  its  marks  that  would  prove 
it  had  no  beginning,  would  equally  prove  it  had  no  con- 
triver, or  maker;  and  of  course,  that  it  had  no  one,  able 
to  end  it. 

And  as  every  thing  was  in  its  nature,  necessary  for 
its  existence  without  a  beginning;  so  every  thing  w^as  in 
its  nature,  necessary  for  its  existence  without  end. 
And  as  there  was  nothing  in  it  to  prevent  the  one; 
so,  there  was  nothing  in  it  to  prevent  the  other.  And 
vrhereas  it  did  not,  and  could  not  make  itself;  so,  neither 
could  it  either  change,  or  unmake  itself.  Now,  whereas 
all  the  marks,  qualities,  and  properties  of  the  present 
Universe,  are  the  marks,  qualities  and  properties  of 
something  that  could  have  a  beginning,  be' changed, 
and  have  an  end;  it  follows  that  they  cannot  be  the 
marks,  qualities,  and  properties  of  something  that  could 
not  possibly  have  had  a  beginning,  be  changed,  or  have 
an  end.  It  is,  therefore,  most  certain,  that  the  present 
Universe  had  a  beginning,  and  did  not  exist  from  eter- 
nity; and  that  its  marks  of  contrivance  cannot  be  an 
original,  and  necessary  property  of  such  eternal  ex^ 
istence. 

For  as  it  is  impossible  for  any  thing  to  be,  and  not  to 
be,  at  the  same  time;  or  for  any  one  thing  to  be  another 
thing;  so  it  would  be  impossible  for  a  Universe  that  had, 
or  could  have  had  a  beginning,  to  be  a  Universe  that 
•neither  had,  nor  could  have  had  a  beginning. 

These  m.arks  of  contrivance,  therefore,  do  not  prove 
that  it  had  a  beginning  only,  but  they  prove  that  it  was 
really  made,  and  that  there  is  a  being  sufficiently  wise, 
and  powerful,  to  contrive,  and  make  it;  and  that  he  did 
make  it. 

For,  v/hereas,  any  being,  that  has  existed  without  be- 
ginning, neither  did,  nor  could  make  itself;  so,  no  one 
that  has  had  a  beginning  either  did,  or  csiild  make  itself. 


4 

And  as  it  is  absurd,  to  suppose  something  might  take 
place  from  nothing,  no  one  producing  it;  so,  it  is  phiin. 
that  if  there  had  ever  been  a  period,  when  nothing  ex- 
isted; then  nothing  ever  would  have  existed,  neitheir 
would  anv  thina:  ever  exist. 

It  follows,  therefore,  that  some  being  has  existed  with- 
out a  beginning,  who  was,  and  is  wise  enough  to  contrive^ 
and  good  enough  to  do,  and  powerful  enough  to  create, 
and  make  the  present  Universe,  with  all  things  great  and 
small,  that  ever  has  had,  or  ever  will  have  a  beginning. 
And  also,  it  follows,  that  the  being,  who  has  existed  with- 
out beginning,  must  be  the  first  cause  of  the  present  Uni- 
verse, and  all  things  that  has  had,  or  ever  Vv"ill  have  abegin 
ning.  For,  otherwise,  they  could  not,  and  would  not  exist. 

N.  Ithink  I  see  the  reasons.  And  if  I  do^  you  have 
shewn,  that,  from  all  its  marks,  the  present  Universe 
either  had,  or  could  have  had  a  beginning,  and  that  it 
could  have  been  contrived  and  made;  and  that  a  Uni- 
verse, which  existed  without  a  beginning,  could  not  pos- 
Taibly  have  had  a  begiming,  and  could  not  possibly 
havebeen  contrived  and  made;  and,  therefore,  that 
the  present  Universe,  which  had,  or  could  have  had  a 
beginning,  and  could  have  been  made,  could  not  possibly 
be  that  Universe,  which  had  no  beginning,  and  whick 
eould  not  possibly  have  had  a  beginning,  or  been  made, 
any  more,  than  any  one  thing  could  possibly  be  another 
thing.  And,  therefore,  that  the  present  Universe  must 
'have  had  a  bes:innin£r,  and  must  have  been  made.  And 
that  some  Being  must  have  existed  without  a  beginning, 
v.'hohad  wisdom,  goodness,  and  power  sufficient  to  con- 
trive, and  make  it;  and  that  he  must  have  m.ade  it;  and 
that  he  is  the  first  cause  of  all  things,  great  and  small., 
that  ever  had,  or  ever  will  have  a  beginning;  for  they 
could  not,  otherwise,  exist  at  all. 

Now,  can  Vv'e  learn,  from  the  things  that  are  made, 
whether  or  not,  the  Being,  ^\  ho  made  all  things,  rs  infi- 
nitely perfect  in  wisdom,  good.nej^s  and  power? 


A.  Yes.  Yet  a  Vv'orknian  is,  alv/r^.j-s  greater  than  ills 
work.  And  the  nature  and  magnitude  of  the  work  is 
such,  that  we  nirrhtiearn  from  it,  that  the  workman  was, 
and  is  unbounded  in  wisdom,  goodness  and  power.  We 
have  ah-eady  seen,  that  he  could  have  no  be.^inning", 
change,  or  end,  possibly.  Therefore  he  could  not  possibly 
have  a  superior;  otherwise,  he  might  have  been  begun, 
changed,  or  ended.  But  he  might  have  a  superior,  if  he 
be  not  infinitely  great  or  perfect;  and  therefore  might 
be  changed,  if  he  be  not  infinitely  perfect. 

That  being,  who  is  \\ithout  beginning,  change,  or 
end,  must  l^e  infinite  in  greatness,  as  well  as  in  v/is- 
dom,  goodness,  power,  and  duration.  For  if  he  be 
not  infinite  in  all  those  properties,  which  he  must  have 
had  in  some  degree,  in  order  to  do  the  v/ork,  of  which 
we  have  spoken  above,  then  he  might  have  had  those  pro- 
perties, in  a  higher  degree,  and,  therefore,  he  would 
be  changeable.  And  so  if  he  be  not  infinitely  perfect, 
in  every  thing,  he  would  be  changeable  in  something. 
But  we  have,  before,  shewn  that  he  is  unchangeable.; 
vrherefore  he  must  be  infinitely  perfect  in  every  tiling. 
And  this  infinitely  perfect  Being  is  God.  And  there 
could  be  but  one  exactly  such;  for  he  is  infinitely  great, 
and  exists  every  where,  and  fills  all  immensity  of  space, 
at  all  times;  and  no  other  could,  in  the  saiiie  sense,  oc- 
cupy the  same  space. 

N.  Can  we  learn,  from  the  things  that  are  made,  all 
we  need  to  know  about  the  nature  and  perlections  of  this 
infinitely  perfect  Bein.^?- 

A.  No.  God  is  perfectly  invisible  to  all  created  beings, 
except  so  far  as  he  makes  himself  known  to  them.  And 
it  is  by  v/hathe  does  in  his  vvorks,  and  by  \that  n?  says 
in  his  word,  or  the  Biblej  that  he  miikes  himself  known 
to  us. 

N.  If  the  Bible  be  really  the  word  of  that  ir^finiteiv 
perlect  Beings  it  must  be  truth.    I  should,  theref  jre.  l'> 


6 

to  ^^ear  s^snie  few  plain  reasons  whj^  you  think  the  Bible 
is  the  word  of  G^jd? 

A.  Wei!,  for  many  reasons,  \V2  do  need  a  plain,  true 
statement  of  ficts  about  God,  and  about  his  intentions,  as 
it  respects  ourselves,  to  be  s::iven  bv  himself,  so  that  \vc 
may  depend  on  them,  as  beinp- certain.  And  the  Bible 
m.eets  my  mind  precisely,  as  bein?^  the  very  book  we 
need;  aiidit  contains  the  very  statement,  that  meets  m)' 
judgment,  to  the  nicest  fraction,  and  I,  now,  think  it  fit« 
my  taste.  So  that  I  novv'  think  an  account  more  to  my 
mind,  could  not  have  been  given  nie,  even  bv  himself. 
And  if  he  did  net  give  that  account,  in  that  book,  he  has 
fiot  given  any,  of  which  I  have  e^-er  heard.  I  am,  there  ■ 
fere,  under  the  necessity  to  take  that  book,  as  contain- 
ing his  word,  or  none;  and  for  a  better  I  could  not  ask. 
And,  further,  I  think  he  would  not  withhold  from  u^ 
such  an  account,  which  is  so  much  needed. 
■  Nov/ the  writers  cf  that  book  were  either  very  gooS. 
men;  or,  otherwise,  they  were  exceedingly  bad  men. 
If  they  were  good  men,  they  told  the  truth,  and  the  Bible 
is  true.  But  if  the  Bible  be  not  true,  then  they  did  not 
tell  the  truth,  and  are  liars,  and  fools,  and^  exceedingly 
bad  m.en. 

But  they  must  have  been  cood  men  and  told  the 
truth;  for  fools  could  not  have  made  such  a  book,  and 
bad  men  would  not  have  made  such,  even  if  they  could. 
They  would  have  been  like  bad  men  are  now,  and 
alwavs  ha"\^e  been.  Therefore  they  would  rather  have 
destroyed  such  a  book,  than  to  have  made   such  a  on-::. 

N.  Perhaps  they  thought  it  was  true,  but  were 
deceived? 

A.  ^^llo  deceived  them?  Their  IMaker  vrould 
not.  And  the  Devil  would  not,  in  that  matter.  I 
asssure  yon,  deception  would  have  been  on  the  other 
side;  good  men  of  old  must  have  spoke  as  iliey  w^^re 
moved  by  the  Ilo'y  Spirit,  or  w<^  should  never- 
h^vc   got  the  B.C. c     You  ahd  I  know  how  bad  men. 


iu  tliese  clai'S,  feel  about  that  book.  And  ba-l  mea 
Iiave  ahvcvys  fek,  about  it,  as  they  now  d\  It  is  not 
because  a  man  is  either  too  wise  or  good,  that  he 
<lisputes  the  truth  of  the  Bible.  If  a  man  does  honest- 
ly v/aut  to  knov/ whether  or  not  the  Bii>le  is  of  divine 
inspiration,  he  can,  without  much  trouble,  obtain  suf- 
ficieiit  evidence  of  that  fact.  But  if  he  does  not  want 
to  know,  or  if  he  be  determined  to  find  fault  with 
it,  and  reject  it;  all  argument,  and  evi^lence  would 
be  lost  on  him,  while  he  continues  to  feel  that  way. 
And  yet  they  might,  by  the  blessing-  of  God,  be  the 
aiieans    of  turning  hini  at   last. 

Although  the  writers  of  the  Bible  were  men  of  such 
sjood  character,  that  we  mig-ht  safely  take  their  v/ord 
.as  sufficient  evidence  of  its  divine  inspiration;  yet 
the  Bible  itself  carries  sufficient  evidence  in  itself^ 
that  it  is  of  divine  inspiration,  and  that  its  wrife'ts 
told  the   truth. 

These  writers  go  on  to  relate  a  number  of  fact* 
ivhich,  they  say,  took  place  publicly,  in  the  presence 
cf  multitudes  of  people,  at  certain  times,  and  certain, 
places.  Now  those  people  could,  and  would  have 
Gontradicted  tliem,  if  those  facts  had  not  existed. 
For  those  facts  were  of  such  a  kind  and  nature,  and 
attended  with  such  circumstances,  that  those  people 
®ou.ld  not  help  but  know,  whether  or  not  those  facts 
really  did  exist.  Such  facts  as  those,  which  took 
place  at  the  Red  sea,  at  the  crossing  -of  Jordan,  the 
crucifixion  of  Christ,  and  his  resurrection,  &c.  And 
baptism,  and  the  supper  are  all  of  this  kind  and 
jiature.  For  they  all  must  have  taken  place,  at  the 
very  time,  and  in  the  very  way,  and  at  the  very 
place,  as  those  waiters  have  said,  or  else  those  facts 
€0uld  not  have  been  admitted  and  believed,  either 
then,  or   any  time   since. 

For  if  they  were  not  true,  good  men  wou-d  nol 
li^yi;  said  they    \vere  true,    or  admitted,    or    believed. 


theThj  ndtner  W'-^\iM  hvl  ^^en;  for  those  facts  were 
of  such  a  kiiid,  nnd  ilature,  and  attended  with  such 
circup.istances,  that  even  bad  men  would  have  been 
certain  to  disbeliev?,  dispute,  and  prove  them  false. 
For  the  same  reasons,  that  would  inflaence  bnd  men 
lo  dispute  those  facts  now,  v/ould  have  influenced 
bad  men,  to  have  disputed  them  at  that  time,  or  at 
any  ti'Tie-  since.  For  bad  men  were  then,  like  they 
are  now. 

Now  inasmuch  as  those  facts  were  ad-rdtted  and 
believed,  by  all,  good  and  bad,  m.ale  and  female,  who 
lived  then  at  the  time  and  place,  and  v.dio  did  know,, 
or  had  a  chance  to  know;  and  were  not  disnuted  bv 
any  one'  g-ood  or  bad  3t  that  time,  those  facts  mu^t 
be  absolutely  true.  1  have  as  much  certainty  of 
this,  as  I  have  that  g^od  men  are  good  men,  and 
that  bad  m^en  are  bad  nien.  For  it  v.'ould  have  been 
contrary  to  the  nature  of  both  th.e  eood  and  bad,  in 
any  age,  to  let  those  facts  pass  for  truth,  if  they  had 
Bot  been  truth.  I  have,  therefore,  the  direct,  and 
indirect  testimony  of  the  world,  good  and  bad,  given 
in  the  most  credible  manner  to  the  truth  of  those 
facts. 

Now,  if  those  facts  be  ti^uth,  of  which  I  have  no 
doubt,  they  positively  prove  the  Bible  to  be  divinely 
inspired.  For  none  but  God  could  have  performed 
those  facts;  and  he  did  them  in  attestation  of  the  truths 
accompanying  them,  as  contained  in  the  Bible.  So 
that  as  certainly  as  those  facts  are  from  God,  so  are 
those  statements  of  the  Bible  true,  that  accompany 
those    facts. 

And,  further,  I  might  observe  that  a  number  of  the 
prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament,  prove  the  truth  of 
the  new  Testament;  and  a  number  of  the  facts  of  the- 
new  Testament,  prove  the  truth  of  the  prophecies  of 
the  old  Testament.  For  insurance,  see  Isa.  53rd  chan. 
fulfilled  in  M.uh.  26th  and   27th  chap.  Mark  14th  and 


15tli  chap.  Luke  22nd  and  23rd  chap.   John  18th  and 
1 9  th   chap. 

N.  What  is  meant  in  the  8th  verse  of  that  53rd 
^rap.  of  Isa.?  where  it  says — "He  aa  as  taken  from  prison 
and  from  Judgement;  and  who  shall  declare  his  gen- 
eration? for  he  was  cut  off  out  of  the  land  of  the- 
iiving'." 

A.  It  is  a  m^ode  of  expression  similar  to  that  in 
Malachi.  3.  5.  ''That  turn  away  the  stranger  from 
his  right."  If  a  Justice,  Judge,  or  Jury,  in  a  legal 
case,  should  not  do  justice  to  a  stranger;  this  would 
i^e  turning:  the  Stranraer  from  his  ria-ht,  and  this  would 
he  very  wicked  in  such  a  court;  and  it  vv'-ould  still 
be  a  more  wretched  state  of  things,  if  all  the  people 
had  becom.e  so  wicked,  that  they  would  give  their 
countenance  a.nd  support,  in  favor  of  such  injustice^ 
and    corruption. 

But  Isaiah,  long  before  the  event,  prophesied  that 
the  son  of  God  vrould  be  treated  in  this  way;  and  the 
fact  proved  the  prophecy  true.  For  in  this  v/aj;, 
the  son  of  God  w^as  treated  by  the  people  and  courj: 
that  tried  him;  for  he  was  taken  both  "from  prison 
and  from  Judgment."  Although  he  had  an  undispu- 
ted right  to  the  law  and  justice  of  his  country,  jo-t 
thev  did  not  errant  h.im  that  rio;ht;  they  did  not  g-rant 
Trim  even  the  right  of  a  prison,  where  he  niiglit 
?iave  consulted,  counsel  if  he  had  thought  proper^ 
nor,  the  right  of  a  frdr  trial.  For  vrhen  thev  sought 
to  put  him  to  death,  it  was  only  two  da3"s  until  the 
feast  of  the  passover;  and  for  fear  of  an  uproar  on 
that  day,  they  hurried,  and  look  him  that  night, 
and  kept  him  under  guard  till  morning;  and  then, 
after  havins:  sonj^bt  false  v/itnesses,  that  thev  mifrht 
have  him  se'itencsd  to  death  by  the  Jewish  coun- 
cil which  had  met,  the  over  night,  in  the  palace 
of  the  Jligh  pries':,  for  that  purp  ise,  they  sent  hi:T]. 
in   the    morning,  to  Pilate   the  Roman    Governor,    and 


liad  111  in  tried  agiiin,  condemned,  and  executed  dial 
same  day,  all  against  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon^ 
giving  him  no  chance  to  make  a  rec^ular  defence, 
9o  that  from  the  time  they  took  him,  until  his 
death,  was  al^out  20  hours.  Nor  were  they  willing 
to  hear  any  defence;  for  although  the  Governor  kne^'^ 
he  was  delivered  up  for  death,  through  envy,  yet 
the  Governor  delivered  him  up  to  the  mob,  wh® 
'''cut  him  oit',  out  of  the  land  of  the  living,"  like  sa 
many  assassins.  Now,  in  this  view  of  the  transac- 
tion, "who  can  declare  his  generation?"  that  is,  the 
generation  in  wliich  lie  lived.  It  is  not  possibJe  for 
any  man  to  "declare,"  or  fully  describe  or  paint  out 
such  a  hateful  generation  of  vipers.  "How  could  they 
escape  the  damnation  of  Hell?"  Or  liow  could  an^ 
©ne  else,  that  would  approve    of  their   conduct? 

I  take  these  points,  and  all  like  them,  as  vastly 
strong  evidence  of  the  divine  inspiration  of  the  olc\, 
und    new    Testaments. 

N.  It  does  seem  so  truly,  friend  A.  neyertheles§i 
such  vipers  are    not  all   dead. 

But  were  there  not  some  of  the  books  of  the  new 
Testament,  that  were  not  received  into  general  us^ 
for  a  number  of  years  after  they  were  written?  and 
were  they  not  doubted  by  some,  fjr  a  long  time 
-after  they  were  written?  and  even,  after  they  had 
begun    to  be  received  pretty  generally? 

A.  Yes.  And  so  it  is  now;  and  so  it  will  be  while 
the  same  kind  of  vipers  live.  But  this  is  one  argu- 
ment in  favor  of  their  truth,,  instead  of  their  false- 
hood. For  I  feel  sure  such  vipers  v*'ould  haye  proved 
them  false,  if  they  had  been  false;  and  I  feel  sure^ 
that  good  men  would  not  have  admitted  them  to  be 
tTue,  if  tliev  had  not  been    true. 

For  these  reasons,  and  others  that  might  be  given., 
1  feel  fully,  and  satisfactorily  convinced  that  the 
Bible  is  true,  and  of  divine  inspiration.     And  I  hope 


u 

vou  Will  feel  so  likeVv-ise;  but  if  yoi]  are  not  satisfied, 
the  subject  is  before  you,  arid  is  capable  of  a  lengthy 
investii^Hiion. 

N.  I  see  no  v.-ay  of  refuting  these  arguments;  short 
and  few  as  th^^y  arc,  and  sliail  take  thcra  as  satis- 
factorj'-  evidence  of  the  truth  and  divine  inspiration 
of  the  Bible,  at  least  until   I  see    them  fairly  refuted. 

And  now  I  should  like  to  hear  what  the 
Bible  scys  about  God,  more  than  we  can  learn  from 
his    works  of  creation  and  providence^ 

A.  Wq  haye  already  seen,  from  the  things  that 
are  made,  "his  eternal  pov.'er  and  Godhead."  Or 
that  he  is  an  uiichangeably  perfect  being,  vvithoiit 
beginning,  and  v»ithout  end.  And  the  Bible  declares 
the  same  ab:;Ut  him. 

But  it  is  f -om  the  Bible  only,  that  we  can  learn  the  raode 
of  his  existence.  And  on  this  point,  we  must  be  ex- 
ti'emely  cautious  and  conscientious,  tliat  we  do  not  dis- 
honor God  and  the  Bible,  and  injure  ourselves.  And 
now  I  V.  arn  you  again  that  it  is  from  the  Bible  only,  that 
we  can  learn  any  thing  Ci-^rrectly  about  this  point;  and, 
therefore,  we  must  not  try  to  understand  the  mode,  or 
manner  of  G>d's  existence  by  comparing  it  with  any 
thing,  or  with  any  circumstance  of  any  thing  that  is 
made.  And  unless  we  do  attend  to  this  rule  strictly, 
we  shall  form  notions  about  the  m^yde  of  his  exis- 
tence,   infmitely  degrading,   and  below  the  truth. 

N.  Well.  What  is  the  mode,  or  manner  of  his 
existence? 

A.  God  exists  in  three  distinct  subsistences,  which, 
constitute  the  one  livins:  ^i^d  true  God,  and  which 
are  called  the  Trinity.  These  three  distinct  sub- 
sistences, constituting  the  one  God,  are  expressed  b}"' 
his  name  Jehovah.  This  name  expresses  the  eternal, 
self-existence  of  God;  and  represents  him  as  existing 
in  three  distinct  subsistences,  vdiich  I  call  the  Trin- 
ity.    This  name  Jehovah,  in  the  Hebrew  language,  is 


equivalent  to  repeating  the  name  Jali,  three  tiiaes; 
The  nume  Jah,  m  Psal.  68.  4.  and  the  Greek  uord 
npostasis,  tianblated  person,  in  Heb.  1.  3.  when 
applied  to  God,  mean  nearly  t!ie  same  thing;  which 
is  subsistence,  eternal,  or  evevkisting  subsistence. 
Some  times  this  Greeiv  word  is  translated  substance, 
as  in  Heb.  1 1.  1.  and  it  might  be  translated  foun- 
dation. But  when  it  is  applied  to  God,  it  meai-ic 
eternal  subsistence.  When  I  speak  of  the  Trinity,, 
therefore,  1  rail  them  three  distinct  subsistences;  but 
not  serara.te,  or  separable,  for  they  constitute  one 
elernal    God. 

I  am  that  I  am.  and  Jeliovah  are,  radically,  the  same 
canie.  See  K>^od.  3.  14,  and  6.  3,  and  Psal.  68,  4.  and 
are  equivalent  to  repeating  the  name  Jah  three  times. 
Tlie  na.'r.e  Jah,  signifies,  I  am.  Ancl  the  name  Jehovah, 
which  is  equivalent  to  repeating  the  nam^e  Jah  three 
times,  represents  God  as  existing,  without  beginning 
and  without  end,  in  three  distinct  subsistences. 

Thsse  three  subsistences  are  perfectly  equal;  one 
not  being,  in  any  sense,  derived  from  another.  Nor  is 
any  one,  in  any  sense,  before  or  after  another,  even  in 
the  order  of  nature;  but  the  three  equally  constitute  the 
ene  eternal  God  or  JeliDvah. 

I  wish,  ufnv,  to  remark,  that,  the  sense,  in  which  God 
did  make  himself  known  to  Abraham  by  his  name  God 
Almisi'htv,  before  lie  was  known  to  him  bv  his  name  Je- 
hovah,  was  this:  Abraham  understood  v.'hat  was  mt  ant 
by  the  name  God  Almighty,  even  his  eternal  power  and 
God-head;  but  Abraham  did  not  understand  what  was 
iiieant  by  his  name  Jehovah.  What  was  meajit  by  tlie 
first  name,  could  be  understood  from  the  thinj^^  that  were 
made;  but  what  was  meant  by  the  name  Jeho'Vah,  could 
be  known  but  by  revelation  only,  for  that  name  repre- 
sents him  as  existir-g,  without  beginning,  and  without 
end,  in  three  distinct  subsistences:  but  Abraham  did  not 
understand  this,  althougli  he  had  heard  the  name  Jaho- 


t3 

vail  ofreDi,  But  because  the  name  Jehovah  is  tfanslatea 
Lord,  in  the  Engnsh  Bible,  a  mere  English  reader  might 
suppose  that  Abraham  had  never  even  heard  that  name, 
when  he  reads  Exodus  6.  3. 

N.  Why  are  these  •subsistences  called  persons?  as  in 
Hebrews   1.  3. 

A.  To  shew  that  they  are  intelligent  subsistences; 
and  not  unintelligent;  or  to  distinguish  them  from  un- 
intelligent subsistences.  But  we  are,  by  no  means,  to 
compare  them  to  any  created  person;  for  that  would  be 
perfectly  degrading.  It  would  be  like  thinking  him  alto 
gether  such  a  one,  as  one's  self. 

N.  Would  it  not  be  very  easy  to  think  and  to  say, 
that  one  person  is  one  being;  instead  of  three  making 
ane? 

A.  Because  we  are  so  much  in  the'  custom  of  think- 
ing, and  speaking  of  persons  or  beings  such  as  ourselves; 
and  we  know  so  little,  and  are  in  the  custom  of  thinking 
and  speaking  so  little  about  a  being,  or  a  person  infinite - 
ly  high  and  exalted  above  ourselves,  that  w-e  are  exceed- 
ingly ready  and  apt,  when  we  do  happen  to  think  or  speak 
of  an  infinitely  high  being,  or  person,  to  try  and  take 
the  shortest,  readiest,  easiest  way,  of  vv^hich  we  can  think, 
in  order  to  learn  the  manner  or  mode  of  his  existence. 
And  that  is  to  compare  him  to  ourselves;  and  whatever 
does  not  consist  with  the  notions  we  have  formed  of  our- 
selves, we  think  cannot  belong  to'  him.  And  therefore, 
we  are  apt  to  conclude,  that,  Vv'hereas  one  human  persGii 
is  one  human  being;  so  one  divine  person  is  one  divine 
being.  And  that  we  cannot  see,  how,  three  divine  per- 
sons  should  be  one  divine  being.  When  yen  try  to  think 
of  a  divine  person,  'or  of  the  divine  being,  is  not  your 
imagination  very  apt  to  form  some  kind  of  an  image  in  the 
shape  of  a  large  man^  sitting  upon  some  kind  of  a  throne; 
away  at  some  considerable  distance  in  the  heavens? 
And  perhaps  you  will  have  some  difn/culty  to  get  the  im  • 
ao^e,  to  exactly  i\i  yom  notion;- 


14 

But  easy  as  it  may  be  to  do  all  this,  it  is  perfectly 
degradiiig  of  the  great  Jehovah;  for  it  is  thinking  him  i 
to  be  altogether  such  a  one  as  yourself.  And  we 
are  expressly  commanded  to  not  make  to  ourselves  any 
graven  image,  or  the  likeness  of  any  thing  in  heaven 
above,  or  in  the  earth  beneath;  for  it  is  degi'ading. 
Deut.    4.    15.   19. 

And  on  the  sam.e  principle,  we  ought  not  to  try  to 
lovver  dovvU  the  great  Jehovah,  from  existing  in  three 
distinct  subsistences  called  persons,  to  one  subsistence 
called  person,  for  no  better  reason,  than  because  it 
seems  to  agree  better  with  the  notions,  we  have  form- 
ed of  ourselves,  or  of  things  that  are  made.  This  is, 
perfecdy,  rejecting  the  Bible  rejijresentation  of  this 
matter;  and  is  sitting  up  our  own  notion,  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  Bible,  in  some  shape  or  other;  and  is  a 
species  of  infidelity  of  some  cast  or  other.  And. the 
worst  sort,  is  where  any  one  pretends  to  have  learned 
it  out  of  the  Bible.  For  a  wolf,  in  a  sheep's  coat, 
is  worse  than  in  his  own. 

I  tell  you  again,  it  is  degrading  of  the  great  Jeho 
vah,  and  lovv"ering  him  dovvm  to  no  morej  than  what 
we  mifjht  have  learned  from  the  thina:3  that  are  miade, 
without  the  Bilrlc;  "  A.s  has  been  sliewn  already,  we 
might  have  learned  that  he  is  God  Almighty,  even 
his  eternal  power  and  Godhead,  from  the  things  that 
are  made.-  But  we'CvOuld  not  have  learned  what  is 
meant  by  his  nams  Jehovah,  but  by  revelation.  For 
die  name  Jehovr.h,  is  equivalent  to  repeating  the 
name  Jcili  three  times.  The  name  Jah  signifies  ever- 
lasting:,  or  eternal  subsistence.  Tnerefore  the  name 
Jehovah,  v/liich  is  Jah  three  times  •  repeated,  represents 
God  existing  without  beginning  and  without  end,  i\\ 
tliree  distinct  subsistences  called  persons,  to  distin- 
p.ri.oh  them  from  cycry  kind  of  unintelligent  subsis- 
rcnces;  but  not  to  be  compared  with  created  persons. 

N„     Then  if  nolllins:.can  be  known  about  this  nlodr 


13 

of  the  divine  existence,  from  the  thin_G;s  that  are  made;- 
but  from  revelation  only;  would  it  not  be  equally  as 
vain  to  try  to  prove  it  true,  as  untrue,  from  any  thing 
whatever  that   is   made? 

A.  Yes.  For  there  are  no  data,  or  things  given  in 
the  vrhole  universal  circle  of  things  created,  from 
which  you  could  draw  the  conclusion,  that,  God  does^ 
or  does  not  exist  in  three  distinct  subsistences.  •  For 
as  the  heavens  are  high  above  the  earth,  so  is  this 
mode  of  the  divine  existence  high  above  all  things 
that  are  made,  and  above  all  creature  comprehen- 
sion. Ye.t  our  ignorance  about  it,  is  no  argument 
against  it,   more  than  it  is  for  it, 

N.  God  is  infinitely  great.  Now  if  he  exist  in. 
one  subsistence,  or  person,  he  would  be  beyond  all 
creature  comprehension;  yet  he  would  seem  to  be 
nearer  it,  than  if  he  exist  in  three  subsistences,  or  per- 
sons; but  he  is  entirely  out  of  my  reach,  he  is  infinitely 
beyond  me  truly,  if  he  exist  in  three. 

A.  That  is  one  reason,  why  I  believe,  and  am  pleased 
with  what  the  Bible  says  about  that  mode  of  the  divine 
existence.  For  that  is  the  way  to  "exalt  the  Lord  our 
God."  But  I  am  indebted  to  revelation  for,  even,  that. 
Wherefore,  I  say,  every  possible  attempt,  that  has  been, 
or  can  be  made,  in  any  way  whatever,  to  bring  him  dov/n 
to  one  subsistence,  or  person,  is  a  degrading  the  infinite- 
ly gTeat  Jehovah.  And  is  making,  in  imagination,  a  God 
to  a  person's  own  liking;  which  is  spiritual  idolatry.. 
And  it  is  rejecting  the  .Bible's  representation  ;  for  the 
Bible  says  much,  on  this  subject. 

N.  Does  not  the  personal  pronouns,  I,  thou,  and  he, 
agr-ee  well,  with  these  three  divine  subsistences,  or  per- 
sons? 

A.  Yes;  as  vrell,  as  with  any  other  persons  Vv^hatever. 
And,  in  the  Bible,  each  of  these  subsistences,  or'persons 
is  called  God;  but  not  to  the  exclusion  of  the  others. 
But  when  any  one  of  the  three  is  called  God,  the  other 


i\vo  are  always  iiiciuded.     For  the  three  constitute  une 
God. 

N.  I  can  see  why  these  three  divine  subsistences  or  per- 
sons, may  be  called,  first,  second,  and  third  person.  But 
why  should  any  one  of  the  three,  be  called,  or  have  a 
right  to  be  called,  first,  second,  or  third  person,  instead 
of  either  of  the  others? 

A..  This  point  was  settled  by  an  agreement  betwee\i. 
them,  as  perfect  equals.  In  this  agreement,  it  was  decided 
which  should  be  called,  first,  and  which  should  be  cailec^v 
;:iccond,  and  which  should  be  called  third  person. 

And  by  the  same  kind  of  an  agreement,  it  was  decid- 
ed that  the  fij^st  person,  should  be  called  Father,  the  se 
send,  Son,  and  the  third,  Holy  Spirit;. 

N.  What  kind  of  an  ascreement  was  this? 

A.  Ain-eenients  are  of  two  kinds.     One  kind  is  where 

o 

the  agreement  is  to  be  performed,  at  the  time  it  is  mad^; 
■this  is  called  an  executed  agreement.  The  other  kinci 
is  where  the  agreement  is  to  be  performed  at  some  fu- 
ture time,  after  the  agreement  is  made;  and  this  kind 
is  called  an  executory  agreement.  Now  you  may  see^ 
that  there  is  a  very  great  difference  between  these  two 
kinds  of  agreement.  Of  the  executoiy  agi'eement,  I 
shall  have  occasion  to  speak  hereafter.  But  now,  I  say., 
<the  agreement,,  that  decided,  and  settled  v.diich  should 
be  called,  first,  second,  and  third  person;  and  which 
:^hould  be  called,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  was  an 
agreement  performed,  or  executed  at  the  period  when  it 
was  made ;  which  was  from  eternity. 

N.  Then  the  first  person  may  be  called  the  eternal- 
Father,  and  the  second,  the  eternal  Son :  consistently 
with  Mic.  5.  2. 

A.  Yes  ;  a:nd  the  third  person,  may  be  called  the  eter- 
nal Spirit.  Heb.  9.  14.  But  we  are  not  to  understand, 
by  these  titles  of  relation,  any  thing  like  what  we  call 
kindred,  among  ourselves.  They  are  designed,  as  the 
most  appropriate  titles  that  could  have  beqn  chosen,  i".:) 


it 
express  a  much  hig-her,  and  nearer  relation,  in  which'- 
these  divine  persons,  constituting  one  God,  stand  to  one 
another,  in  the  order  of  the  Trinity:  and  also,  they  ex- 
press the  relation,  in  which  these  persons  stand  to  one  • 
another,  in  the  order  of  the  covenant  of  redemption. 

N.  x\re  these  titles  of  relation,  designed  to  express  or 
'■epresent  the  di\'  ine  nature  of  the  subsistences,  or  per- 
i.ons  to  which  tliev  belong? 

A.  Yes.  They  are  designed  to  express,  or  represent 
the  divine  nature ;  but  not  a  derived  nature. 

N.  But  is  there  any  thing  in  the  divine  nature,  that  is 
a  reason  why  the  second  person  should  be  called  Son, 
rather  than  either  of  the  other  two? 

A.  No.  Tliere  isnothingin  all  the  Bible  that  authorizes 
me  to  think  there  is  any  such  thing  in  the  divine  nature. 
But  every  possible  idea  of  that  kind,  which  represents 
the  divine  nature  of  one,  derived,  in  any  way  whatever, 
from  another,  appears  to  rae  perfectly  degrading.  And 
all  such  ideas  about  the  divine  nature,  arise  from  notions 
\VQ  have  formed  about  human  nature.  But  we  are  not 
to  let  our  notions,  of  human  nature,  have  any  part,  in 
deciding  our  judgment  of  v/hat  the  Bible  says  about  the 
divine  nature,  in  this  respect. 

The  tide  Holy  Spirit,  is  as  mmch  designed  to  repre- 
sent the  high  and  exalted  relation,  in  which  these  divine 
persons  stand  to  one  another,  as  the  titles  Father  oi- 
Son. 

They  are  all  titles  of  that  iniinitely  high,  and  exalted, 
and  near  relation,  in  which  they  stand  to  one  another,  in 
the  order  of  the  Trinity,  which  titles  thsy  hold  by  an 
executed  agreement;  and  by  v/hich  the  divine  nature 
and  character  are  expressed;  but  not  a  derived  nature , 
and  by  which  titles,  they  are  knovvn  to  each  other,  ai];l 
all  others,  in  the  order  of  the  Trinity.  And  by  Vvdiic^ 
tides  of  relation,'  they  are,  and  will  be  knovrn  to  e.i.3l. 
'^■^her.  nnd  to  the  universe,  in  the  order  and  work  of  V': 


IS 

coVsnari't  of  redemption ;   cf    which   more  x',i!I  be   sa-;'; 

I;  ere  after.  '  '        ' 

N.  Then,  if  the  title  Son,  is  not  intended  to  express  a 

derived  nature;  v.diat   i-j  meant  in   Isai.    53.   '8,   <"'''.yho 

:  \v::\ll  declare  his  treneration?" 
«_) 

A.   It  means,- — v/ho  shall  describe,  or  paint"  out  that 
v.ickedand  hateful  generation  in  which  he  lived,  and  ii? 
which  he  vras  put  to  death  ;  as  \vi\3  formerly  said.     And 
in  fact,  it  represents  that  generation,  as  being  so  hateful 
iy  -wicked,  that  no  one  could  fully  describe  it. 

N.  Weil  then, — v/liat  is  meant  in  the  second  Psahai; 
which  says, — "I  will  declare  the  decree; — thou  art  niv 
Son;  .this  day  have  I  begotten  thee."  Psa!.  2.  7. 

A.  That  verse  should  have  been  translated  thus;- — I 
v.as  nanibered  for  the  (Statute,  constitution>cr)  decree: 
Jelro\ah  hath  said  unto  m.e,  Thou  art  my  Son;  this  diT}' 
:ave  I  bcTOtten  thee. 

o 

Tliis  verse,  and  all  other  places  that  speak  of  him,  ar. 
being  begotten;  and  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father, — 
:r.nv  refer  to  that  executed  aa:reement,  mentioned  above 

diich  decided,- that  the  first  person  should  be  called 
fatlicr,  and- that. the  second  person  should  be  called  Son. 
rhat  executed  ap;reenicnt,  be tvreen  the  three  subsist- 
enccs,  or  persons  constituting  the  one  Jehovah,  that  decid- 
ed-vvliich  should  be  called  First,Second, and  Third  perso^^; 
and  which  slr^uld  be  called  Father,  an  i  which  should  be 

ailed  Son,  and  -ddch  should  be  called  Holy    Spirit,  I 

i:zr.,  or  -/::::-.^"  r-in-d  in  the  -b.;  .;  -/.i-  o.  And  he 
vras  nund:ercd.  Second  person,  for  tiie  decree^,  or  agree- 
ment, thut  decided  that  lile,  the  secondpierson,  should  be 

ailed  Son.     For,  in  the  89di  Psal.  27th  verse,  it  is  said. 

-'^Iwi:l  mahe  him  my  first  born.'*     But  the    Hebrew 

1,  t.an:da'.ed  "n-:ake,."  signiii:s  that  it  is  dene  by  an 

;;^"rcem€nt;   "P'  have,  or  "•will,"  I:>y  compact  or  agrec- 

■  .  en-'","m:;ke  him   my  first  born,  ygher  than  the  kings 

j' <  •" '  r':;^!'^'''. . ■  *     Thf'-!   co'T-!n'-'"t  cr  aGi*eemerit.  or  stn.tuie. 


If) 

or  constitiitioo,  or  decree,  which  maie  hira,   i'   , 
person,  first  bora  ;  or  decide;!  that  he  should  be  cabt 
Son;  does  really  maks,  or  place,  or  represent  him  in:iu- 
itelv  hi.n-her,  than  the  title  !-:in'^' of  the  earth,  v/oiild  h-xv^^ 
done. 

And  tlds  a;^rees  wiili  what  i.->  s:iid  In  Heb,  1.  4— -5, 
'^Being  made  so  much  better  than  the  Angels,  as  he 
hath  by  inheritance  obtahied  a  more  excellent  nani':; 
than  they.  For  nnto  which  of  the  an2;el3  sa^  J  he  at  anv 
lime,  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  have  I  beG;ottj;' 
thee?  And  again,  I  will  be  to  him  a  Father,  and  he  rha- 
be  to  me  a  Son." 

The  Greek  ^vord  translated  "made,''  does  not  mean 
ihata  person,  or  subsistence  was  created;  but  it  means 
diat  a  person,  already  existing;,  was  made,  or  placed,  or 
constituted,  or  appointed  to  fill  a  station  as  much  better- 
cr  higher  than  that  of  angels,  as  the  difference  bet-,vje:. 
the  name  angel,  and  the  name  Son  ;  which  more  excel- 
lent name  Son,  he  hath  obtained  by  inheritance;  as  one. 
that  pre^dously  existed,  but  •^vas  not  heir,  until  he  \\'as 
appointed  heirof  all  things.  Heb.  1.  2. 

And  to  suppose  that  the  tiile  Son  represents  a  deri^ 
red  nature,  and  that  he  is  as  realh',  and  narturally  derived 
from  the  Father, -as  Seth  was  derived  from  .*idam,  or 
Enos  from  Setli,  is  most  gross  and  absurd  in  man,  de- 
grading to  God,  contrary  to  the  Bible,  and  innnitely  be- 
low-the  truth  of  the  subject. 

The  orij^'inal  words  translated,  l-be3'0tten,"  does  not 
necessarily  signify  hov/ it  was  done.  "The  Greek  word 
translated  "begotten,"  which  Paul  has  chosen  to  repre- 
sent the  meanins:  of  the  Hebrew  irord,  in  the.2d  Pslam. 
may  be  translated  very  variously,  according  to  t'le  nature 
of  the  case  to  be  represented;  as,  to  beget,  tj  breed,  cr 
brinj!;  forth,  to  create,  to  occasion,  to  invent,  to  make,  c 
!  ash  ion.       ■ 

All  these  following  plr'ascs  are  t)  tl-e  sa:^"e  nn''':~:'X'!;— -  ■ 
"This    div  have  T  bef^otlen  the-"   'd  vh   '■  \    "h.n  • 


20 

iPather,  and  he  shall  be  to  me  a  Son;"  '^vhom  he  hatl» 
appointed  heir  of  all  things;"  "as  he  hath,  by  inheri- 
tance, obtained  a  more  excellent  name  than  thej^;"  and 
they  all  are  so  many  ways  of  unfolding  the  contents  of 
mat  constitution,  or  "decree,"  or  executed  agreement^, 
Vvdiich  decided  that  the  second  person  shov.ld  be  called 
the  Son. 

N.  But  does  not  Act'^  13,  53.  speak  of  that  verse  i.; 
the  second  Psalm,  and  shew  how  he  was  begotten! 

A.  That  place  in  Acts,  does  not  shew  how  he  was  be- 
gotte;  ;  but  it  proves  that  Jesus  Christ,  Vviio  came  into 
the  v/orld,  v/as  really  the  Son  of  Godj  spoken  of  in  the 
2d  Psalm. 

And  whereas  the  titles  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit^ 
represent  the  divine  nature  of  the  three  persons;  it  fol- 
lows that  in  all  the  places,  where  the  Bible  sneaks  of 
either  of  the  three,  it  is  that  much  of  an  explanation  of  the 
name  Jehovah,  which  represents  God  existing,  without 
beginning,  and  without  end,  in  three  distinct  subsisten- 
ces, or  persons,  called  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
And  so  the  Jews  understood  it.  John  5,  18.  "But  said 
also,  that  God  was  his  Father,  making  himself  equal 
Vvith  God."  A.ndJohn  10,  SO — 36.  calling  himself  the 
"Son  of  God,  was  making  himself  Gocl,"  for  it  really 
represented  the  divine  nature.  And  there  are  so  many 
places  in  the  Bible  that  expressly  call  the  Father  God. 
Eph.  3,  3.  Gal.  1,  1.  and  many  others.  And  that  call 
the  Son  God.  John  1,1.  Rom.  9,  5.  Fleb.  1,  8.  1. 
John  5,  20.  And  the  Holy  Spirit  God.  Acts  5,  3—4. 
that  there  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt  of  the  Trinity;  or 
of  three  divine  subsistences,  or  persons  constituting  one 
God,  or  Jel'iovah  that  is  fram  everlasting  to  everlasting. 

N.  But  might  not  Christ  be  called  God,  in  some  lower, 
or  subordinate  sense? 

A-  No.  He  is  either  the  true  God,  1st.  John  5,  20, 
i^r  no  God.     He  is  either  from  everlasting,  or  from  c^t 


21 

nity  as  it  might  have  been  trcinslatedj  in  Micah.  5,  2. 
or  no  God. 

N.  The  Bible  speaks  of  everlasting-  liills;  although 
they  had  a  beginning,  and  will  have  an  end. 

A.  Yes.  And  the  Bible  always  means,  by  its  wordj|^ 
something  consistent  with  what  it  professes  to  teach. 
The  Bible  teaches  that  the  earth  had  a  beginning,  and 
will  have  an  end.  And  the  hills  that  will  continue  while 
the  earth  lasts,  are  caliad  perpetual,  or  everlasting  hill§^. 
to  distinguish  them  from  secondary  hills,  that  may  be 
moved.  But  the  Bible  teaches  that  God  is  without  be- 
cjinning,  or  end;  and  when  it  says  he  is  from  everlasting, 
it  means,  he  is  without  beginning.  But  Christ  is  God;. 
•therefore  he  is  from  everlasting,  or  without  beginning. 

N.  If  Christ  be  the  true  God,  that  will  do;  other Vvdse 
not. 

A.  1st.  John -5,  20.  Says  he  is  the  true  God.  AnS 
Paul  says,  Rom.  9,  5.  that  he  is  God,  over  all  blessed- 
forever.  And  in  Heb.  1.  8  12.  referring  to  the  102d 
Psalm,  24  28,  and  Psalm  45,  6 — 7.  Paul  describing, 
©r  representing  the  glory,  and  greatness^  and  power,  and 
unchangeableness,  and  goodness  of  the  Son  of  God^ 
says; — "Unto  the  Son,  he  saith,  thy  throne,  O  God,  is 
forever  and  ever; — And  thou  Lord  in  the  beginning  hast 
laid  the  foundation  of  the  earth;  and  the  heavens  are  the 
Vvork  of  thy  hands:  they  shall  perish,  but  thou  remain- 
e^st;  and  they  all  shall  wax  old  as  doth  a  garment;  and  as 
a  vesture  shaltthou  fold  them  up,  and  they  shall  be  chan- 
ged: but  thou  art  the  same,  and  thy  years  shall  not  fail.'' 

All  this  and  much  more  is  said  of  the  Son;  and  if  he 
is  not  represented  as  being  the  true  God,  he  is  not  re- 
};)resented  as  being  God  at  all;  for  there  is  no  God,  but 
I'he  true  God. 

N.  But  he  said,  he  did  not  knov/ when  the  end  of  the 
world  would  be:  See  Mat.  24,  36.  Pvlark  13,  32.  If  he 
7/ere  the  true  God,  he  would  have  knov/n. 

/^o  The  Bible  often  rails  him  a  man,  and  the  '^on  <^' 


22 

mail.  As  a  man,  he  increased  in  wisdoin,  and  in  stature 
and  in  favor  with  God  and  man,  Luke  2,  52.  As  a  man 
or  as  the  sen  of  man,  he  did  not  know  when  the  end 
would  be.  But  Peter  said  to  him,  "Lord,  thou  knowest 
all  things."  John  21,  17.  As  Lord,  or  as  a  divine,  per- 
son, he  knew  when  the  end  should  be. 

N.  He  says  of  himself,  that  he  was  before  Abraharijj 
and  before  the  world.  Why  may  he  not  have  been  a 
merely  created  person;  but  the  oldest,  vvisest,  and  best 
of  the  creation? 

A.  Because  as  a  created  person,  he  Vvas  a  marx;  and  as 
a  man,  he  was  not  fifty  years  old. 

N.  Why  might  he  not,  as  a  Son  of  God,  have  derived 
liis  divine  nature  from  the  Father;  and  why  might  not  a 
human  body  have  been  prepared  him,  to  clothe  that  di- 
vine mind,  or  nature? 

A.  Besides  ail  the  Bible  reasons  given  above;  there 
are  a  number  more,  that  might  be  given  from  the  Bible. 
But  I  shall  now  give  but  a  very  lew  more. 

If  He,  the  Son,  derived  his  nature,  being,  and  Sonship 
from  the  Father,  in  any  sense  whatever,  as  a  human  son^ 
from  a  human  father;  then  there  v/as  a  period,  when  he 
began  to  exist,  as  a  son,  or  a  person.  And  if  there  can 
be  any  sense,  in  which  he  could  be  said  to  exist  in  the 
Father  befdre  that  period;  he  must  have  existed,  after 
that  period,  in  a  vastly  different  sense.  But  neither 
could  the  Father,  after  that  period,  be  precisely  the 
same,  in  every  senses  that  he  was,  before  that  period; 
and  the  difference  in  the  case  of  the  Father,  must  be 
great,  in  proportion  to  the  difference  in  the  case  of  die  Son. 
But  James  says; — With  the  Father  of  lights,  there  is  no 
variableness^  neither  shadow  of  turning.  James  1,  17. 
And  it  has  been  shewn  already,  that  God  could  not  pos- 
sibly, in  any  sense,  have  a  beginning,  change,  or  end; 
wherefore  it  is  contrary  to  the  Bible,,  and  contrary  to  the 
very  nature  of  the  being,  and  existence  of  God,  to  sup- 
pose that  the  Son  of  God,  derived  his  nature,  and  bein.^' 


irom  the  Father;  as  a  human  son,  from  a  human  father. 

x\nd  as  to  a  liuman  body  clollung  a  divine  nature  or 
mind;  this  would  not  constitute  a  man.  A  man  has  a 
human  mind,  as  well  as  a  human  body;  and  the  mind  is 
the  standard  of  the  man.  But  that  supposed  divine 
mind,  would  not  be  a  human  mind.  Wherefore  the  Bible 
would  be  contradicted  in  this  respect  also;  for  the  Bible 
says  he  v/as  a  m.an.  And  if 'the  people  had  been  inform- 
e-d,  that  a  body  of  tvvelve  years  old,  clothed  a  Divine 
mind  that  had  existed  from  before  the  world  was,  there 
would  have  been  no  astonishment  at  his  understanding 
and  ar.sv/ers,  in  the  temple;  for  the}^  would  have  expec- 
ted, all  that  he  shewed  and .  more.  And  the  Bible  no 
where  intimates  any  such  thins;,  or  that  the  Divine  na- 
ture of  the  Son,  was  derived  from  the  Father,  in  any 
sense  whatever.  But  the  Bible  says, — "Jesus  Christ 
the  same  yesterday,  and  to-day,  and  for  ever."  "And 
he  says; — I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  tlie  beginning  and 
the  ending,  saith  tlie  Lord,  which  is,  and  which  was, 
and  which  is  to  come,  the  Almighty."  Heb.  13,  8. 
Rev.  1,  8.  Wherefore  no  one  can  be  justified  in  the 
attempt  to  disprove  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity;  by  proving 
that  Christ  is  the  Son  of  Ctoq;  or  by  trying  to  reduce  him, 
down  to  a  derived  nature. 

N.  But  does  not  Luke  1,  35  shew  how  he  became  the 
Son  of  God? 

A.  Luke  was  speaking  there  in  reference  to  that  holy 
thing,  that  should  be  born  of  the  virgin;  or  of  his  human 
nature  being  joined  with  his  divine  nature  iu  such  a 
Vv-ay  as  to  constitute  one  person.  What  is  said  of  this 
point,  is  no  evidence  against  what  has  been  said  above; 
but  is  perfectly  consistent  vvith  what  has  been  already 
said  above. 

N.  Let  me  ask,  if  vdiat  is  said  in  Luke,  takes  place;, 
strictly  under,  or  according  to  that  executed  agi'eement,* 
which  decided  that  the  second  person  should  be  called 
con. 


24. 

A.  It  takes  place  strictl} ,  and  perfectly  GonsisteBit 
with  that  agreement ;  but  not  under  that  executed  a- 
greement. 

It  takes  place,  strictly  under  and  according  to  another 
kind  of  an  agreement,  called  a  covenant,  which  is  an 
e-xecutory  agreement;  because  it  is  to  be  performed  or 
fulfilled  at  some  future  period,  after  the  agreement  was 
made. 

This  agreement  is  the  covenant  of  redemption,  which 
ermbraces  every  event,  Great  and  Small,  that  ever  was  to 
take  place,  in  the  universe,  at  any  period  after  that  cove- 
i^ant  v.as  made. 

But  that  executed  as-reement,  that  decided  which 
•liould  be  called  first,  second,  and  thiid  person;  and 
which  person  should  be  called  Father,  Son,  and  Koh^ 
Spirit,  was  performed  at  the  period  wlien  it  w^as  made^ 
vrhich  v.as,  in  the  order  of  nature,  antecedent  to  the 
covenant  of  redemntion:  althoui^h  both  have  existed 
without  beffinnins'. 

N.  VVhy  was  it  thought  a  matter  of  so  much  conse- 
o|uence,  in  new  testament  timxCs,  that  the  people  should 
believe  that  Jesus  Chirst  was  the  Son  of  God? 

A.  Because  the  prophets  had  fore  toldj  that  the  Son  of 
God  was  to  come  into  the  world,  to  be  the  Saviour  of 
men,  under  the  name  Messiah,  or  Christ,  both  of  which 
names  m.eans  anointed.  But  the  people  disputed  and 
disbelieved  that  Jesus  Chirst  was  really  the  one,  spoken 
of  by  the  prophets;  therefore  it  wasasked,-art  thou  he  that 
should  come,  or  do  we  look  for  another?  Math.  11.  C. 
This  dispute  and  opposition  to  Christ,  run  so  high  m 
those  days,  that  it  was  thought  a  good  evidence  ofchris 
tianity,  when  any  one  would  openly  profess  to  believe 
that  Jesus  Christ  was  the  Son  of  God ;  that  is,  the  very- 
one  of  whom  Moses  and  the  prophets  had  written.  Bu 
In  these  days,  when  there  is  no  such  opposition,  and  one  V 
life  is  not  at  stake,  it  has  become  little  or  no  evidence  at 
:"IL-    1^-syertheiess^  the  nsme  Son  of  God.  is  a?  dear  te 


1 


2B 

christians  now,  ftnd  ahvays  will  be,  as  it  was  at  that 
time. 

Wherefore, — "Unto  him  that  loved  us,  and  washed 
us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood;  and  hath  made  us 
kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  his  Father;  to  him  be 
;.Iory  and  dominion  forever  and  ever.  Amen." 


]S[.  Whereas,  Theology  is  a  system  of  divinity,  found- 
ad  on  the  nature  of  man,  and  the  relations  existing 
between  him  and  the  Divine  Being,  it  cannot  be  well 
.niderstood,  without  knowing  something  of  the  Divine 
3eing,and  of  the  nature  of  man.  I  wish  you,  therefore, 
^0  state  your  views  of  the  subject  of  personal  identity. 

A.  Man  is  a  being  which  has  been  created,  and  is 
continually  upheld  by  Divine  Agency.  This  Divine 
Asrencv  is  the  basis,  on  which  man  stands  as  a  contin- 
ually  dependant  being.  Each  individual  of  the  human 
family,  is  called  a  person.  And  personal  identity  or  per- 
gonal sameness,  is  that  sameness  of  person,  which  effec- 
tually prevents  any  one  person  from  ever  being  another 
person,  or  any  other  being,  even  of  a  different  nature. 

It  is  said  of  the  Divine  Being, — "That  He  is  the  same 
yesterday  to-day  and  forever." 

This  sameness  of  the  Divine  Being,  is  exceedingly 
difterent  from  what  we  call  personal  sameness,  among 
ourselves.  And  we  may  observe  further,  that  this  per- 
sonal identity,  is  that  sameness,  which  belongs  to  any 
one,  as  a  person;  and  in  no  other  sense  whatever.  For 
a  man  is  constituted  of  a  body  and  mind.  And  we  may 
speak  of  the  identity  of  the  body,  and  the  identity  of 
the  mind.  But  the  identity  of  body,  is  very  different, 
from  the  identity  of  mind.  And  the  body  is  made  up 
of  different  parts,   substances  and  particles.     And  each 

part,  substance  and  particle^has  an  identity,  that  distm- ■ 

O 


2G 

:';uishes  it  from  any  other.  So  the  mind  is  eonstituted 
'^^  understanding  anduvY/,  each  having  an  identity,  wliich 

listinguishes  it  from  the  other.  And  so  of  the  differ- 
■nt  perceptions  of  the  understanding,  and  the  different 
\  oiitions  constituting  the  will;  each  individual  one  has 
an  identity  that  distinguishes  it  from  any  other.  Now 
personal  identity  is  that  sameness  which  belongs  to  any 
'.one,  as  a  person;  and  in  no  other  sense.  And  distin- 
guishes one  person  from  another  person,  in  the  same 

ense,  that  the  samenessof one  part,  particle,  or  volition 
distinguishes  it  from  any  other  part,  particle,  or 
N-olition.  So  while  ever  a  part,  particle,  or  volition  ex- 
ists at  all,  it  is  the  same  part,  particle,  or  volition,  and 
■.lever  can  become  any  other;  for  its  sameness  is  that 
•vhich  distinguishes  it  from  any  ether.  There  is  but 
imo.  way  for  any  thing  whatever  to  cease  to  be  the  same, 
'indthat  is  to  cease  to  exist  at  all.  Then  its  sameness 
und  all  are  gone. 

But  there  is  an  absurdity  in  supposing  one  thing 
might  become  another  thing.  For  the  one  cannot  be 
the  other.  Each  Vv'ould  have  an  identity,  and  this  iden- 
dty  or  sameness  would  completely  distinguish  it  from 
ilie  other.  But  there  would  be  no  absurdity  in  suppos- 
ing one.  tbdng  might  cea^e  to  exist,  and  another  ccme  i:i 
its  olace. 

So  there  would  be  an  absurdity  in  supposing  one  per- 
■on  might  become  another  person.  For  each  person 
would  ha^e  an  identity,  which  would  completely  d'  tin- 
guish  him  from  the  other.  .  The  only  way  tlu  t  any  per- 
son might  cease  to  be  the  same,  is  for  him  to  cease  t» 
exist  at  all,  then  his  sameness  and  all  are  gone. 

The  sauio  absurdity  is  involved  under  this  question. 
'•Am  I  the  same  person  now,  that  F  was  formerly;  or 
shall  I  certainly  be  the  same  person,  at  any  period  here  ■ 
after,  that  I  am  now?  For  this  supposes  thatiflaui 
nottbc  same,  I  have  becorae  another  person,  whirli  is 


2t  % 

absurd.     For  tlie  only  way  for  me  to  caase  to  be  the  same 
person,  is  for  me  to  cease  to  be  a  person  at  all. 

Therefore  let  me  be  constituted  a  person,  of  what  I 
may ;  and  let  my  personal  identity  consist  in  whatever 
it  may;  there  is  no  danger,  that  ever  I  shall  be  called  to 
an  account  for  deeds  committed  when  T  was  not  the  same 
person.  For  if  I  ever  cease  to  be  the  same  person,  I 
oease  to  exist ;  and  I  shall  never  be  called  to  an  account 
after  that  cessation. 

N,  But,  my  friend  A.  If  a  person  shall  exist  without 
end,  and  never  cease  to  be  the  same  ;  it  is  very  desira- 
ble to  know  what  a  person  is,  and  what  constitutes  his 
sameness. 

A.  The  pronoun  I,  represents  my  person,  at  all  time-Sj 
in  all  places,  and  in  all  circumstances.  At  this  time  that 
letter,  I,  represents  my  person,  as  being-  composed  of  a 
mind  and  body,  in  common  language;  but  more  strictly, 
that  letter  T,  represents  my  person  as  being  clothed  v/itli 
a  bodv,  to  which  it  is  united  in  such  a  wav  as  to  consti- 
tute  the  compound  being,  man.  For  if  the  whole  body 
bhould  pass  off  by  e^-aporation,  or  by  death;  yet  that 
^vhich  is  left  and  properly  represented  by  the  pronoun 
T,  is  my  person.  The  vv^ord  person,  may  signify  things 
of  very  different  kinds,  and  different  natures,  according 
to  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  used;  as  a  Divine  person, 
which  is  of  a  different  nature,  from  every  kind  of  creat- 
ed person. 

If  the  body  were  laid  aside,  the  Soul  or  mind  Avould 
be  represented  by  the  pronoun  I.  The  soul  or  mind 
therefore  is  the  person.  Whatever  constitutes  the  soul 
or  mind  at  any  given  j)eriod,  constitutes  the  person. 
Understanding  and  Will  constitute  the  mind,  and  of 
course  the  person,  at  any  period.  Whatever  more  mat 
be  said  of  the  mind,  as  belonging  to  i!:,  comes  under  one 
or  the  other  of  these,  the  understanding,  or  the  will. 
For  instance,  thinking  fs  the  exercise  of  the  understand- 
ing; and  choosing  is  the  exercise  of  the   will;   under- 


28 
standing  and  will  in  their  proper  connection,  constitute 
the  thing,  represented  by  the   pronoun  I,  as  I  think,  I 
choose,  &(?. 

N.  Bv.t  as  we  have  many  exercises  of  thinking  and 
ch(;osing,  it  is  evident  a  person  exists  in  a  succession  oi 
acts,  or  exercises;  and  that  the  same  acts  or  exerciser 
which  constituted  a  person  sometime  ago,  do  ?iot  consti- 
tute him  now,  and  the  ones  which  constitute  a  person 
now,  will  not  do  it  sometime  hence.  How  then,  can  he 
be  the  same  person? 

A.  Remember  the  same  individual  acts  or  exercises^ 
are  one  thing;  but  the  same  person,  is  another  thing. 
An  act  or  exercise  does  not  exist  in  a  succession;  but  as 
^uick  as  one  is  gone,  another  is  come.  But  a  person 
exists  in  a  succession.  If  you  could  find  a  person,  con- 
stituted of  acts  or  exercises,  that  exist  forever,  without 
one  succeeding  the  other;  he  could  not  be  the  person 
that  exists  in  a  succession  of  acts.  It  therefore  is  abso- 
lutely necessary,  that  these  acts  should  follow,  in  suc- 
cession, in  order  that  the  person  should  be  the  same. 
For  a  human  person  always  exists  in  a  succession  of  acts  or 
exercises.  The  fact  therefore,  that  the  exercises,  which 
constitute  the  person  at  any  one  point  of  time,  are  not 
the  same  individual  exercises,  which  constitute  the  per- 
son, at  any  other  point  of  time,  is  ho  evidence  that  the 
person  is  not  the  same.  But  on  the  other  side,  that  fact 
■is  evidence,  that  the  person  may  be  the  same.  For 
without  that  fact  the  person  could  not  be  the  same. 
Because  that  very  person  exists  in  that  very  succession. 

There  are  as  many  different  successions,  as  there  are 
different  persons.  And  ail  these  successions  rim  par- 
allel with  one  another;  they  never  cross;  nor  does  one 
run  into  another.  Each,  may  be  called  a  personal  suc- 
cession, inasmuch  as  a  person  exists  in  a  succession. 

And  personality,  or  the  individuality  of  a  person  is  a 
constituted  comiexion,  oi  the  present  exercises  (composing 
a  person)  with  the  past,  and  future  exercises,   in   one 


29 

Individual   succession.     Frona   this   connexion,  aU   the 
aclvantag;es,   or   disadvantages  arising    throughout   the 
whole  series*  inure  to  the  person  existing  in  that  partic- 
ular succession.     All  the  infor  nation  gained  a  id  retain- 
ed, so  as  to  be  called  up  for  use,  at  any  time,  is  that  per 
-.on's  store,  or  stock  of  knowledge.     And  if  any  of  that 
Knowledge    be  lost,  at  any  time,-  that  person  suffers  the 
loss.     While  this  constituted  connexion,  or  junction,  o^" 
present,  past,  and  future  exercises,  in  one  individual  sue 
cession,  continues;  the  person  continues  the  san".     Bu' 
if  that  connexion  or  junction  fail,  the  person  representee 
by  the  pronoun  T,  would  cease  to  exist. 

N.  Now  what  constitutes  a  person's  identity  or  same 
riess? 

A.  A  person's  identity  or  sameness,  consists  in  a  per- 
son's being  what  he  really  is,  himself;  and  not  another 
person.  Another  person  exists  in  another  succession  of 
exercises.  Personal  identity  is  that  sameness  whicl'. 
distinguishes  one  person  from  another  person.  Just  as 
the  sameness  of  any  part,  particle,  or  volition,  disting-ulsh 
es  it  from  any  other  part,  particle  or  volition. 

What  ever  constitutes  any  thing  what  it  is,  constitutes 
its  sameness.  For  any  thing  whatever,  and  its  sani^' 
ness,  are  the  same  thing. 

N.  Well  this  seems,  to  be  really  true.  But  why  may 
we  not  say,  "that  there  is  a  something  between  the  Di- 
vine agency  and  these  exercises;  v/hich  something 
might  be  called  '-substratum;"  because  of  its  Ivine  un- 
der  the  exercises,  as  a  more  firm  and  durable  subslstenc:-. 
which  does  not  exist  in  a  succession :  but  has  existed 
ever  since  the  succession  of  exercises  beo;an;  and  in 
some  way  or  other,  puts  forth  these  exercises? 

And  then,  v\-hy  might  we  not  say.  that  perfjo rial  same- 
ness consists  m  th.at? 

A.  We  may  not  say  it,  because  it  is  not  tni?.  It 
there  were  any  such  a  ^;;o-belween,  it  w^u'i  -.:■  1  u 
whole  person  represented  l^r  i;:  ■   -ijyn:-     T. 


80 

the  sameness  it  could  have,  would  only  distiiij^uish  it, 
from  any  other  such  a  personal  go  between;  just  as  the 
sameness,  of  any  one  thing,  distinguishes  *ii  from  any 
other  thing.  But  this  would  be  supposing  that  the  let- 
ter I,  represents  a  person,  destitute  of  understanding  and 
will,  existing  perpetually  too,  somewhere  between  the 
Divine  agancy,  and  the  exercises  of  understandmg  and 
will,  and  without  any  knowledge  or  design,  somehow, 
putting  forth  exercises  of  understanding  and  will.  No  w 
such  exercises  could  be  no  part  of  that  person.  And 
the  sameness  of  such  a  person  would  be  entirely  differ- 
ent from  the  sameness  of  such  exercises.  And  thus  you 
may  see  that  a  correct  knowledge  of  personal  idenity, 
teaches  us  to  distinguish,  effectually  between  the  person, 
iirst  stated ;  and  this  last,  and  every  possible  modifica- 
tion of  this  last;  all  of  vv^hich  would  be  entirely  incor- 
rect, and  every  possible  modification  of  it,  would  also, 
be  incorrect. 

N.   I  perceive  this  last  stated  plan  is  altogether  excep 
tionable.     But  according  to  the  former  development  of 
personal  identity  the  eloquent  Irving,  moves  majestically 
"In  our  present  condition,  things  that  are  past,  are  spo- 
ken of,  as  dead,  or  out  of  existence;  and  things  that  are 
to  come,  are  spoken  of  as  unborn;    and  things  present;, 
alone  as  being  in  real  existence.     But  this  popular  way 
of  speaking  and    conceiving  is  not  according  to   truth. 
For  things  that  are  past  are  not  dead  to  us,  but  live  and 
act  upon  our  condition  in  a  thousand  ways.     They  liv(. 
in  memory,  and  go  to  compose  all  our  knowledge,  and 
experience,    and   wisdom.     The    things    that   are  past 
afiect  us  with  repentance  and  remorse,  or  v/ith  joy  and 
self-Gomplacenc}',  according  to  their  character  of  .good, 
or  ill.     The}^  prepare  us  for  the  present,  l)y  the  habits 
which  they  engender;  and  for  the  future  by  the  reso 
iUtions,  to  which   they  give   birth.     Neither  are    future 
events,  tho'  unborn  to   ssnse,  without  life,  or  inliuence 
over  the  mind.     Thev  live  in  ho^^e  and  fear,  in  desn'e 


31 

and  schemes;  they  cause  the  largest  share  of  our  anx- 
iety and  arrangements,  and  determine  the  better  part  ol' 
our  happiness  or  misery.  The  soul  is  spread  out  both 
behind,  and  before,  and  with  its  wiiigs  stretches  hnt\\ 
ways  into  time,  and  struggles  hard,  to  compass  the  ?vufif^ 
orb  of  eternity.^^ 


N.  Friend  A.  are  there  not  several  faculties  of  ili.v 
soul,  which  you,  either  intentionally,  or  unintentional]} 
omitted  to  mention,  when  you  was  on  the  subject  of  per 
sonal  indentitj^? 

A.  When  we  were  on  that  subject,  my  intention,  was 
to  keep  it  clean;  I,  therefore,  neithersaid,  nor  omitted  to 
say,  any  thing,  but  what  I  intended. 

N.  But  are  not  Pvlemory  Recollection,  and  Con- 
science faculties  of  the  soul. 

A.  My  answer  will  be,  according  to  what  you  mean 
by  the  word  faculty.  A  rational,  active,  living  soul  has 
memory,  recollection,  and  conscience,  as  certainly,  as  it 
has  life,  or  activity. 

N.  Then  are  they  not  constituent  properties,  or  facul- 
ties of  the  soul,  in  the  same  sense,  that  understanding 
and  will  are? 

A.  No.  If  they  ha.d  been,  Twould  have  named  them^ 
%yhen  v/e  were  on  the  subject  of  personal  idenitj'. 

But  1  told  you  there,  that  "understanding  and  will  con- 
stitute the  rnind,  and  of  course  the  person,  at  any  per- 
iod, iVnd  '^whatever  more,  may  be  said  of  the  mind, 
as  belonging  to  it,  comes  under  one,  or  the  other  of  these 
the  Understanding,  or  the  Will."  I  then  meant;  and 
now.  mean,  that  whatever  may  be  said,  about  memory 
recollection,  and  conscience,  comes  under,  the  v/iil  oi 
understanding.  I  told  you  that — '"AH  the  information 
gained,  and  retained,  so  as  to  be  Caibd  up  for  use  at  any 


82 

lime,  is  that  person^s^tore  or  stock  of  knowleds^e."  Nott 
it  is  no  difference  how  the  infor'nation  be  gained  but  when 
you  become  so  familiar  with  the  different  points  of  infor- 
mation, that  you  easily  retain  them,  you  are  said  to  re 
member  them.  In  this  sense,  retention  and  memory  are 
the  same  thing.  And  calling  up  those  points  of  infor- 
mation, for  use,  is  recollection.  And  one's  memory 
^rill  be  good,  and  his  recollection  quick,  in  proportion  tw 
how  familiar  he  has  become,  with  those  points,  he  wishes 
to  call  up  for  use.  And  you  may  be  so  little  familiar  with 
some  points,  that  it  may  be  with  difficulty  you  can  re- 
member, or  recollect  them;  and  perhaps,  not  at  all. 
And  it  will  be  impossible  to  remember,  or  recollect  any 
thing  which  you  never  gained  or  acquired,  in  some  way 
or  other.  For,  if  not  in  the  order  of  time,  at  least  in 
the  order  of  nature,  an  idea  must  be  gained  or  had,  be 
fore  it  can  be  remembered;  audit  must  slip  through 
the  mind,  before  it  can  be  called  back,  or  recollected. 
jNIemory  and  recollection  are  therefore,  acquired  quali- 
ties of  the  mind,  instead,  of  constituent  faculties. 
Wherefore,  the  more  the  mind  is  exercised  in  becoming 
familiar  with  objects  or  ideas,  the  more  the  memory  and 
recollection  will  be  improved. 

N.  When  may  memory  begin  to  be  acquired  and  im- 
proved. 

A.  The  first  idea,  a  mind  has,  must  exist,  in  the  ordei 
of  nature,  previous  to  the  beginning  of  this  acquisition 
of  memory.  And  this  is  going  as  far  back,  and  to  as 
small  a  point,  as  we  can  go,  even  in  imagination.  For 
that  first  idea  must  exist,  in  order  that  it  might  be  re- 
membered or  retained.  But  if  memory  were  a  constitu- 
ent faculty,  it  must  exist  as  soon,  as  the  other  constitu- 
ent faculties,  and  could  not  be,  even  in  the  order  of  na- 
ture, behind,  or  after  them. 

N.  Then  recollection  nuist  be,  in  the  order  of  nature, 
still  sometixing   later,    or  after  that;  for   the  idea  must 


\ 


m 

have  slipped  through  the  mind,  in  order  that  it  might  b 
called  back,  or  recollected. 

A,  Yes.  And,  if  you  were  to  say,  that  it  seemec' 
hardly  certain,  that  memory  ajid  recollection  begin  quite 
so  far  back,  as  we  have  just  now  stated,  or  supposed, 
then  there  would  be  that  much  the  mors  evidence,  thaf 
they  are  not  constituent  faculties  of  the  mind ;  but  that 
they  are  rather  acquired  qualities. 

N.  If  conscience  be  not  a  constitutent  faculty  of  tho 
mind,  what  is  it? 

A.  Conscience  is  a  mental  sensibility  to  the  propriet}^, 
9r  impropriety  of  our  ov/n  conduct,  according  to  the 
j  udgment  we  pass,  on  that  conduct  in  the  view  ol 
law. 

N.  What  is  consciousness? 

A.  Consciousness  is  a  mental  sensation  produced  hf 
the  propriety,  or  impropriety  of  our  own  conduct,  ac- 
(jording  to  the  Judgment  we  pass  on  that  conduct  in  the 
view  of  law. 

N.  Then,  instead  of  saying  that  conscience  is  a  con- 
stituent faculty  of  the  mind,  it  would  be  more  correct 
to  say,  that  conscience  is  a  quality,  or  property  of  the 
constituent  faculties  of  the  mind. 

A.  Yes.  x^nd  of  course,  the  constituent  faculties  of 
the  mind,  must,  in-  the  order  of  nature,  exist  first,  in  or- 
der that  they  might  have  this  sensibility,  as  a  quality 
®r  property  which  vv-e  called  conscience: 

N.  If  your  definition  of  conscience  be  correct,  then 
Conscience  is  vastly  far  from  being  a  proper  standard,  or 
correct  dictator  of  right  and  wrong.. 

A.  Yes.  As  far  as  it  can  be.  The  law  and  testimony 
is  the  only  standard  of  ria:ht  and  wronsr. 

N.   Then  how  exceedingly  necessary  it  is,  that  we 
should   understand   and   obey  the    law  and   testimony, 
or  the  Bible;  otlierv/ise  we  might  go  to  ruin,  and,    per- 
haps, our  conscience   would  never  dictate   to  the  con 
trarv. 


34 

A.    Yes,    truly.     Or  if  6ur   conscience   should   die 
tate  any  thir.g  correctly,  it  would  be,  because  the  law  of 
nature,  had  taught  us  something  about  right  and  wrong. 

N.  "Was  it  this  law  of  nature  that  was  written  in  the 
hearts  of  the  gentiles,  who  had  not  the  written  law?  See 
Rom.  2.   14—15. 

A.  Yes.  And  it  is  the  business  of  the  law  to  dictate 
wOiat  is  right,  and  wrong ;  and  it  is  the  business  of  the 
will,  or  heart  to  do,  as  the  law  directs  ;  and  it  is  the  bu- 
siness of  the  understandine:  or  thou2:hts;  to  render  Jud^- 
uient,  according  to  law,  on  the  conduct  of  the  heart,  and 
also  to  accuse,  or  approve,  or  else  excuse  that  conduct, 
as  the  case  may  deserve ;  and  it  is  the  business  of  the 
oonscience  to  bear  witness  to  this  legal  decision,  by  feel- 
ing that  it  is  correct.  And  this  feeling,  that  the  decision 
is  correct,  is  the  mental  sensation  or  consciousness  pro 
duced  by  the  propriety  or  impropriety  of  that  conduct^ 
according  to  the  Judgaient  rendered  in  the  view  of  law. 
Compare  Rom.  2.  14 — 15. 

N, .  Then  what  do  you  think  of  these  lines^ 

"What  conscience  dictates  to  be  done, 
"Or  warns  me  not  to  do 
"This,  teach  me  more  than  hell  to  shun^ 
'•'That,  more  than  heaven  pursue." 

A.  I  think  them  far  better  poetry,  than  Divinity.  For 
the  law  is  the  standard,  or  dictator,  of  right  and  v/rong, 
2iot  the  conscience. 

N.  What  is  meant  in  that  15th  verse,  where  it  says — 
•'and  their  thoughts  the  mean  u'hile  accusing  or  else  ex- 
cusing one  another.?'    - 

A.  .It  means  that,  the  understandine:,  or  thouo'hts 
either  accuse,  or  approve,  or  else  excuse,  in  turn,  as  the 
Stise  may  deserve.     As  was  stated  above. 

N.   What  are  conception,  perception,  Judgment.  &:c. 

A.  They  all  signify  something  the  mind  does,  rather 
than  any  thing  that  constitutes  the  mind.  And  the  same 
mio-ht  be  said  of  memorv  and  recollection.     And  con 


35 

science  is  to  the  miiv:i,  what  sensibility  or  a  capability  ot 
feeling  is  to  the  body.  And  consciousness  is  to  the 
inind,  what  feeling  or  sensation  is  to  the  body. 

N.  Then,  the  reason,  why  a  sinner  is  so  unwillinc^  to 
Idani  some  Bible  truths,  is,  that  these  truths  would  pain 
his  conscience. 

A.  Yes.  And  many  aprofessof  of  Christanity,  has  the 
same  kind  of  a  tender  feeling.  And  havin  g  his  eyes  a 
little  more  opened  to  see  his  darger,  in  that  respect,  he 
will  make  more  violent  opposition,  to  some  truths  of  the 
Bii)le,  than  liuuiy  a  sinner,  who  never  made  a  profession 
ef  Christianity. 

N.  But  here  follovrs  a  curious  and  ingenious  objectioii 
b}'  some  unkiijovrn  hand.  I've  just  found  itj  by  whom 
written  I  cannot  conjectare. 

"The  soul  is  as  much  a  chain  and  connexion  of  exer- 
•'cises,  as  a  mill  is  a  chain  and  succession  of  R^rindins;. 
■'Where  there  is  no  mill,  there  can  be  no  grinding.  And 
''%here  there  is  no  Scul,  there  can  be  no  thinking. 
"The  very  idea  of  acting,  presupposes  that  something 
"exists  already,  that  can  act.  Ex  n'lhilo  nil  fit.  It  is  as 
"absurd  to  say,  that  volition,  thought,  or  exercises  con- 
"■'Stitute  the  person — as  that  grinding  connstitutes  the 
"mill.  Or  to  say  tlrat  eating,  drinking,  sleeping  con- 
"stitutes  the  body^  because  the  body  eats,  drinks,  sleeps. 
'''Or  that  any  other  effect  constitutes  the  cause.  There 
''are  certain  elementary  terms  which  we  can  never  define, 
'''and  the  more  we  attempt  a  definition,  the  more  we 
'''bewilder  ourselves.  Some  of  them  are  number,  per- 
'''son,  identity,  &:c.  with  many  others  of  the  like  descrip- 
'Hion." 

K.  Friend  N.  I  am  a  sort  of  a  mechanick  myself,  and 
can  make  a  Mill.  And  have  helped  to  make  several 
Mills  and  Machines  of  one  kind  or  other.  And,  per- 
haps, it  is  from  my  long  acquaintance  with  Mills  and 
IVIachines,  that  there  appears  to  me,  nothing  in  that 
nbjectiou;   that  i"s   ingenjous..      Nor  curio^s^.  except,-  it 


36 

appears  curious  to  me,  that  any  man  would  compare  "•j* 
living  Soul  to  a  running  Mill,  in  any  such  a  way.  Lv 
my  Judgment,  it  takes  far  more  thinking,  and  ingenuitx- 
to  rationally,  and  of  purpose  leave  cut  all  such  objections, 
than  it  does  to  bring  them  forward. 

I  had  taken  so  much  pains  to  know  something  about 
Material  Mills  and  Machines,  and  also  something  about 
immaterial  rational  Souls,  that  I  felt  fully  convinced  that 
there  Vv'as  no  proportion  between  them;  and  of  course^ 
no  comparison.  Wherefore  I  tried  to  shew  some  of  my 
ingenuity,  and  taste,  on  personal  identity,  by  leaving 
Qut,  and  rejecting  every  possible  idea,  of  the  kind  intend- 
ed to  be  brought  forward,  in  that  objection. 

If  you  will  turn  and  read  what  is  said  on  sub- stratum., 
you  Vi'ill  see,  that,  I  there  told  you; — '"every  possible 
modification  of  it  was  incorrect."  And  I  conceive  this 
objection  brings  to  view  one  of  the  very  last  rate  modifi- 
cations of  substratum.  This  sub-stratum  is  supposed 
to  exist  previously  and  behind  all  the  exercises  of  think- 
ing and  choosing;  and  although  itself  is  as  blind  as  a  mill, 
and  as  destitute  of  activity,  yet  it  is  supposed  to  put  it- 
self into  action,  Vvdiile  at  the  same  time  it  puts  forth  all 
the  thinking  and  choosing.  And  so  this  objector  says — 
"Where  there  is  no  mill  there  is  no  grinding.  And 
where  there  is  no  soul  there  can  be  no  thinking.  The 
very  idea  of  acting  presupposes  that  something  exists  al- 
ready that  can  act."  Here  the  soul,  like  the  substratum, 
is  said  to  exist  previously  and  behind  all  thinking  and 
choosing.  Now  it  is  easy  to  see  that  any  soul,  which 
could  exist  antecedently  to  all  thinking  and  choosing, 
would  be  as  blind  and  lifeless  as  a  mill,  or  as  that  sub- 
stratum. You  might  as  well  tell  me,  a  gun  is  a  gun  with- 
out lock,  stock,  or  barrel;  as  to  tell  me,  a  soul  is  a  soul 
without  thinking  and  choosing;  or  that  a  soul  is  a  soul 
antecedently  and  behind  all  thinking  and  choosing. 
Thinking  and  choosing  are  constituent  parts  of  a  soul? 


37 
Vvithout  which  a  ^f)ul  eould  not  be  a^oul;  a.ftym®fe  thaji 
a  gun  could  be  a  gun,  without  lock,  stock,  or  barrel. 

A  living,  rational  soul  is  a  piece  of  the  highest,  and 
nicest  workmanship  of  God,  so  far  as  I  know  of  his  works 
«f  creation.  The  soul  being  a  living,  rational,  imma- 
terial, active  existence,  it  is  altogether  different  in  its  na- 
ture, from  all  matter,  or  material  existence.  Neither 
life  nor  activity  is  essential  to  matter.  Matter  may  ex- 
.ist  without  life  or  action.  Matter  is  equally  indifierent 
<o  motion,  or  rest.  And  is  susceptible  of  no  other  action 
:^ian  loco-motion.  This  locomotion  is  all  the  action 
i.  mill  has.  And  I  know  a  mill  must  exist  first,  in  order 
to  sustain  this  action,  or  loco-motion.  And  I  knovf,  al^ 
:jo,  that  a  soul  must  exist  first,  in  order  that  it  might 
■move,  or  be  moved  from  one  place  to  another,  which  is 
Icco-action,  or  motion.  But  it  is  not  this  loco-action,  or 
motion  that  constitutes  the  soul.  It  is  intellectual  ac- 
tions, thinking  and  choosing  that  are  constituent  parts  of 
the  soul.  And  in  this  sense,  the  soul  is  as  active  an  ex- 
istence, if  it  be  confined  to  one  place,  as  if  it  be  m^oving 
■>o  another.  There  is  a  great  diiference  be tv/e en  motion, 
and  exertion.  A  mill  has  motion,  but  no  exertion;  it 
never  exerts  itself,  bat  it  is  moved  by  a  foreign  power. 
It  Vv'as  therefore  very  unfortunately  brought  in  for  a  com- 
parison. A  living  animal  has  motion,  and  exertion  also. 
When  a  living  anitnal  moves  from  place  to  place,  he 
makes  some  exertion  in  every  step.  And  motion  with 
exertion,  is  more  properly  called  action;  than  motion  with- 
out any  exertion,  such  as  that  of  a  mill.  Walking  is  loco- 
motion, and  is  properly  called  action;  and  every  step  is 
an  act,  and  the  act  consists  of  exertion,  and  motion.  Or 
in  other  \Vords,  walking  is  action  which  consists,  in  mo- 
ving the  feet,  by  some  exertion,  through  different  spaces^ 
But  in  thinking  and  choosing  there  is  no  motion,  nor 
space  moved  through;  although  thinking  and  choosing 
arc-  called  acts,  or  exercises.  In  thinking  and  choosing, 
4here  is  an  exertion  of  the  mindj  and  there  is  also  ?^ 


3S 

thought,  6r  else  a  volition.  But  the  volition  by  itself  is 
not  the  act.  Neither  is  the  exertion  b3^'itself,  the  act. 
But  the  act,  or  exercise  consists. of  the  exertion  and  vo- 
lition both.  And  so,  the  act  of  thinking  consists  of  the 
exertion,  and  thought  both.  As  the  body  by  an  exer- 
rlon  puts  forth  a  foot  which  is  a  part  of  the  animal,  so 
the  mind,  by  an  exertion,  puts  forth  a  volition  which  is  a 
part  of  the  mind.  And  the  mind  no  more  existed  be^ 
Fore  it  had  a  volition,  than  the  animal,  before  it  had  a 
foot.  '  A  man,  witliout  foot  or  hand,  would  be  only  a  part 
of  a  man;  so  a  mind,  without  a  thought,  or  volition, 
would  be  only  a  part  of  a  mind.  When  God  made  the 
man,  he  made  every  part,  and  keeps  every  part  in  being. 
So  when  he  made  the  mind,  he  made  eyery  part,  and  keeps 
every  part  in  being.  The  power  or  strength  of  an  animal^ 
belongs  to  every  part  of  the  animal.  And  so,  of  the  mind; 
and  the  mind  has  no  more  power  to  put  forth  something, 
which  it  had  not,  than  the  the- man  has,  to  put  forth  a  foot  or 
hand,  if  he  had  no  foot  or  hand;  or  than  a  mill  has  power  to 
run,  if  it  lacked  a  v/heel,  and  water,  or  some  other  ibreigii 
power  to  turn  it.  The  objector's  difiicuity  arises  from 
his  thinking  the  acts,  of  the  mind,  consists  of  mere  mo- 
tion; or  else,  of  exertion  and  m.otion  together.  Where- 
as thought,  and  volition  or  choice  do  not  signify  either 
motion,  or  exertion;  they  are  names  only,-  for  parts  of 
the  mind.  But  because  there  is  some  exertion  of  the 
mind,  ab.vavs,  in  thinking,  and  cb.oosing,  they  are  called 
acts  or  exercises,  x^nd  it  is  from  the  exertion,  they  take 
the  name  of  acts  or  exercises,  which  are  supposed  to  be 
constituted  of  both  the  exertion,  and  the  thought,  or  vo- 
liti'.)n,  as  the  case  may  be.  We  may,  therefore,  wnth 
propriety,  sav,  a  man  or  mind  thinks,  or  chooses;  or  puts 
forth  thoughts,  or  puts  forth  volitions.  But  if  thought, 
or  volition  •signified  exertion,  or  motion,  or  both;  then 
we  might  in  truth,  say, — a  man,  or  mind  exerts,  or  moves; 
or  puts  forth  exertions,  or  puts  forth  motions;  instead  of 
thoughts,  and  volitions.      But  this  would  be  as  great  an 


39 

^'absurdity,"  as  that  which  the  objec'cor  thought  he  ha* 
discovered. 

I  know  as  well  as  the  objector,  that  the  very  idea  of 
'^acting,  presupposes  that  something  exists  already,  that 
can  act."  And  further  it  presupposes,  that  thing  has  all 
its  parts  necessary  for  that  'acting,'  be  that  acting  of 
whatever  kind  it  may.  And  as  it  is  impossible  for  a  mill 
to  run,  without  its  parts  necessary  for  running;  and  as  ii 
is  impossible  for  a  man  to  put  forth  a  foot,  if  he  had  no 
Ct)ot;  so,  it  is  impossible  for  a  mind  to  be  a  mind,  and 
dhose  or  put  forth  a  volition,  if  it  had  no  volition  that  was 
as  really  a  part  of  the  mind,  as  a  foot  is  really  a  part  of  a 
man. 

But  because  of  the  exertion  of  the  mind,  thinking  an^ 
choosing  are  the  business  of  the  mind,  or  something  the 
tnind  does;  and  they  are  therefore,  called  acts,  or  exer- 
cises. And  as  it  respects  the  thoughts  and  volitions^ 
they  are  real  spiritual  existence,  and  are  something  of- 
■which;the  mind  is;  or  they  are  really  constituent  parts 
of  the  mind.  Wherefore,  for  the  want  of  more  appro- 
priate v\'ords,  the  mind  is  sometimes,  said  to  be  consti- 
tuted of  its  ow^n  acts;  and  because  it  is  perpetually  think- 
ing and  choosing,  without  the  least  cessation,  it  is  some- 
times said  to  exist  in  a  succession  of  acts  or  exerciseSo 
And  I  hope  you  can  see,  that  there  is  no  impropriety  in 
this  m.anner  of  speaking,  more  than  might  be  found,  in 
any  other  m.anner  of  speaking  on  this  nice  metaphysical 
subject. 

Now  brother  N.  if  you  can  remember,  that  it  is  absurd 
■to  say,  there  was  an,  it,  where  there  y/as  no,  it;  .and  that 
it  is  equally  as  absurd,  to  say,  that,  the  mind  puts  forth 
a  something  which  it  has  not,  and  Vv'hich  does  not  exist. 
And  always  keep  up  the  difference  betvv^een  loco-motion, 
and  intellectual  action;  and  also,  the  difference  between 
material  existence,  and  immaterial,  rational,  living  soulsj 
and  that  thought,  and  volition  are  both,  of  them  spiritual^ 
m'  immateri?)!  e.>;iptenee,  and  not  motion,  nor  c:>:ertlor!V 


40 

fou  needn®t  bewilder  yourself,  like  those,  who  never 
keep  these  points  in  view,  but  are  always  comparing 
them  together  as  if  they  were  alike;  on  which  account, 
they  are  ever  learning,  and  never  coming  to  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  truth,  on  these  interestina;  matters.  T  know 
the  human  mind  is  apt  to  find  it  difficult  to  form  a  kind 
of  metaphysical  nippers,  and  catch  a  spirit  by  a  metaphy- 
sical le^,  or  wing,  and  hold  it,  without  letting  it  go,  un- 
til it  is  dissected,  and  examined,  imtil  its  constituent 
parts  are  ascertained  and  understood.  Many  an  unsuc- 
cessful trial  may  be  made,  before  the  object  is  accom- 
plished. And  because  it  is  difficult  to  catch,  and  diffi- 
cult to  hold,  and  difficult  to  be  examined,  the  mind  is  apt 
to  let  it  go,  for  a  wliile,  and  turn  b  ack  to  material  objects, 
and  compare  it  to  "substratum,"  or  to  "a  mill  running,'* 
or  to  a  body  eating,  drinking  or  sleeping,  "or  to  an  effect 
constituting  its  cause."  And  the  more  they  try  to  de- 
fine"number,  person,  identity,  &c."  the  more  they  bewil- 
der themselves,  until  they  are  badly  perplexed,  and  won- 
der why  every  one  else  does  not  feel  the  same  way. 

But  an  active  persevering  mind  is  not  to  be  discomfi- 
ted, or  discouraged  by  such  trifling  difficulties  as  these. 
You  should  give  up  all  such  material  objects,  and  all 
h'?pe  of  help  from  any  of  them;  and  take  hold  of  the 
Immaterial  spirit,  or  soul,  and  examine  it  until  you  be- 
come familiar  with  it.  And  then  it  will  be  easily  catclied, 
and  examined.  But  while  ever  your  ov/n  mind  proves 
li'eacherous,  and  lets  go  the  immaterial  object,  and  wants 
(X)  look  back  to  material  objects,  you  should  chastise  it, 
iHnt.il  you  bring.it  under  proper  discipline.  A-udtlien 
it  v.'ill  be  just  as  easy  for  your  mind  to  catch,  and  hold, 
iud  examine  the  constituent  parts  of  an  immaterial,  ra- 
tional, active,  living-  soul,  as  anv  material  object  whatever. 
And  the  pleasure  of  doing  it,  when  you  can  do  it  easihr, 
and  rightly,  will  fully  compensate  all  the  trou'xie.  It  is 
delightful  for  the  mind  to  turn  from  all  material  objects, 
and,  in  imagination,  pass  into  a  region  of  imnatenah  ro 


41 

donal,  living  soLilb^,  and  contemplate  that  luObt  exquisite 
I'y  nice  workmanship  of  God,  which,  he  intends,  shall 
live  for  ever;  and  over   which  he  has  established,  and 
will  exercise  a  most  perfect  government  for  ever,,  and 
e:ver,  ...as^.^— »-»---»-— . 

N.  You  have  said  friend  A.  "That  the  word  person^- 
may  signify  things  of  very  different  kinds  and  different 
natures,  according  to  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  used  ■, 
Asa  divine  person,  v/hich  is  of  a  different  nature,  from 
every  kind  of  created  person.  And  that  if  you  could 
find  a  person,  constituted  of  acts  or  exercises,  that  exist 
forever,  without  one  succeeding  the  other,  he  could  not 
be  the  person,  that  exists  in  a  succession  of  acts." 

Now  may  we  not  think  that  the  divine  Being  or  a  Di. 
vine  person  is  constituted  of  acts  or  exercises  that  ex.^ 
ist  forever,  without  one  succeeding  another  and  that,- 
therefore,  a  divine  person,  is  perfectly,  of  a  different  na-- 
ture,  from  any  kind  of  created  person,  which  ahvays  ex- 
ists in  a  succession? 

A.  Yes — And  that  he  does  not  exist  at  all  in  a  succes. 
sioii.  And  every  attempt  to  draw  conclusions  respect-- 
4ng  the  nature  of  a  divine  person,  from  the  nature  of  a. 
Created  person,  is  perfectly  nugatory  and  vain. 

It  is  not  unreasonable  to  believe,  that  the  Divine  Be- 
ing has  but  one  perception,  and  but  one  choice,  both  of 
which  will  exist  forever.  And  that  this  perception  is 
So  complex,  that  He  will  be,  throughout  eternity,  unfold- 
ing it,  more  and  more,  before  the  created  universe. 
And  yet,  that  he  exists  in  three  distinct  subsistances  not 
separate,  nor  separable,  called  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Spirit.  These  three  subsistences,  are  called  persons  j 
yet  of  entirely  different  nature,  from  any  created  person 
whatever.  And  the  difficulty  of  understanding  how 
these  three  subsistences  constitute  one  Being,  consist- 
'"-^■'i-'  ^r-^,^^. Tx^i-iof  h.^ci  Kppn   incf   nnw  said,    is.no  rational 


•ijH'^ct'ioii.     ¥ov  no  mortal  understands  how  one  exists, 
without  beginning,  independent  and  eternal. 

N.  True, — But  will  you  state  what  yon  think  of  the 
litility,  of  the  revealed  doctrine  of  the  Trinity? 

A.  The  revealed  doctrine  of  a  plurality  of  persons 
■or  subsistences  in  the  divine  existence,  is  of  vast  impor- 
tance in  christian  theology. 

N.  I  fully  agree  to  it,  too,  but  have  heard  an  objectiou 
lU'ged  in  this  Vvay,  with  much  plausibilty,  *'God  cannot 
exist  in  three  equal  persons,  Father  Son  and  Holy  Spir- 
it, because  the  Son,  can  not  be  as  old  as  the  Father;'' 
will  you  answer  that  objection? 

A.  Yes.  The  objection  falls,  when  we  consider  that 
■the  titles  of  Father  and  Son  do  not  signify  the  age  of  any 
one  of  these,  more  than  of  other  persons ;  they  are 
mere  titles  of  relation.  If  one  man  the  Son  of  another. 
be  not  as  old  as  the  man  who  is  his  father,  the  difference 
in  their  ap-e,  does  not  arise  from  the  one  beino:  Father. 
and  the  other,  Son;  but  because  the  one  did  not  become 
father  to  the  other,  soon  enough.  The  truth  is,  one 
has  been  Son,  just  as  long  as  the  other  has  been  Father 
Now  among  men,  it  will  forever  be  impossible  that  one 
man  should  become  father  to  another,' so  very  soon,  efc 
that  both  should  be  men  of  the  same  age;  but  there 
is  no  impossibility  of  this  kind,  with  Deity.  For  the 
person,  or  subsistence  called  Father,  was  always  as  cap- 
able of  having  a  Son  as  he  nov/  is.  Of  course  in  what 
ever  sense  he  may  nov/ have  a  Son,  he  ever  might  have 
had  one.  And  it  is  equally  certain,  that  he  too,  haa  heei^ 
father,  no  longer  than  he  has  had  a  Son;  for  one  has 
been  the  Son  just  as  long  as  the  other  has  been  the 
Father. 

It  follows  then,  that  i>f  one  can  be  called  the  eternal 
father,  the  other  with  the  same  propriety  can  be  called 
the  eternal  Son.  Now  as  these  persons  or  subsistences, 
in  the  divine  being  are  all  different  from  creature?,,  v'-U 
perceive  that  things  may   exist  in  t!ie  relationi 


43 
iiieu  sustain  to~orie  another,  wli  icb  exist  not  at  ail,  in  tnc 
'i-elations  sustained  by  the  different  persons  or.  subsist 
ences  in  the  God  head,  called  Father  Son  and  Holy' 
Ghost.     And  that  cascj- brought  forward,  about  the  dil' 
Terence  of  one  "created  father,  and  created  Son  in  point 
of  ao;e,  never  did  nor  ever  can  admit  of  an  application  to 
the   ao-e  of  the  uncreated  and  self  existent  Father  and 

o 

Son. 

N.  What  distinction  do  you  make  between  the  ofilc:. ; 
of  Deity  and  his  relations? 

A.  AH  that  I  care  for  is  this.  When  I  consider  the  re- 
lations of  the  persons  or  subsistences  in  the  sacred  Trin 
ity.  I  view  them  as  doin^f^  nothing  according  to  goverri- 
nientai  principles;  and  when  I  speak  of  their  offices,  I 
suppose  them  to  be  acting  strictly  according  to  sound 
governmental  principles.  Or  in  other  words,  the  titles 
of  relation,  are  not  governmental  appointments,  or  of- 
Hces,  but  their  officies  are  governmental  appoinments. 
Further,  all  the  different  offices,  which  God  sustains^ 
should  be  kept  up  as  distinctly  and  as  fully,  as  if  they 
,were  held  by  so  many  separate  beings. 

N.  Please  enumerate  the  most  prominent,  which 
ought  not  to  be  blended. 

A.  God,  viewed  as  a  sovereign;  does  just  what  he 
pleases,  and  is  under  no  controul  from  any  quarter;  but 
decl'-tres  the  end  from  the  beginning,  saying  my  counsel 
shall  stand  and  I  v/ili  do  all  my  pleasure."  And  to  him, 
in  this  capacity  of  sovereign,  the  thing  formed  has  no 
•right  to  say  unto  him,  '*\vhy  hast  thou  made  me  thus.'^ 
Again,  as  sovereign  Creator  and  preserver  He  goes  oil 
to  create,  and  to  uphold,  all  things. 

"In  him  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being. ''^ 
Again  as  Legislator,  he  gives  law  to  rational  creatures^ 
adapted  to  their  nature,  circumstances,  and  situation,  as 
such.  "The  Lord  is  our  judge,  the  Lord  is  our  law-giv- 
er, the  Lord  is  ou)  kinp;,"* 

■■  Job.  23,  13.  Acts  ir,  28.  Isaiali  S>oj  22. 


.     44 

As;-Jiu,  us  a  judge  he  judges  rational  beings- accordincv 
to  law,  and  in  the  office  of  judge,  is  as  much  bound  by 
the  hiw,  as  he  is,  who  is  to  be  jtidg-^d ;  and  he  is  bounS 
to  grant  all  the  privileges,  which  the  law  allows  to  hin-^ 
\vho  is  to  be  judged,  and  no  more. 

Again,  as  King  or  Governor,  rather,  he  is  the  exect^ 
for  or  maintainer  of  law,  and  he  is  officially  bound  to 
maintain  law.     "For  the  Kingdom  is  the  Lord's.  * 

And  lastly,  God  may  be  called  a  Saviour.;  for  he  say,: 
-'Mook  unto  me,  all  ye  ends  of  the  earth,  and  be  ye  sa^'ed., 
fori  am  God,  and  there  is  none  else?" 

N.  Is  it  necessary  to  be  keeping  in  view  these  differ- 
ent offices  which  the  Deity  holds,  in  absolute  distinct- 
oess? 

A.  Yes — most  certainly.  How  would  it  sound?  the 
divine  Governor  created  or  the  divine  jud^e  enacl 
Sd.  ^c. 

In  order  to  see  how  necessary  it  is  to  keep  up  these 
:v'ery  different  offices,   distinctly,  just  as   much   so,  as  if 
<they  were  sustained  by   so  many   different  beings,     Lef 
•Us  suppose  the  following  case.     A  sinner  has  finally  re 
jected  the  Saviour,and  is  now  to  be  executed  according  t© 
law,  by  the  Governor ;  suppose  he  thus  makes  complain^.. 
to  the  Governor,  "Sir — It  is  very  hard  that  I  suffer  this- 
dreadful    penalty  of  law."     The    Governor    replies   at^ 
once,    Friend  I  did  not  make   that  law;    my  place  is- 
merely  to   see  it   maintained.     Why  did  not  you  make 
your  defence  before  the  Judge?  go  back  yet.     He  goes^ 
♦^may  it  please  your  honor,  is  it    not  hard   that  I  should 
suffer  this  penalty  of  law?"  he   too  replies,  friend,  did 
you  not  incur  it?  if  so,  you  can  not  obtain  a  reverse  ai 
judgment,  here,    for  I  am  bound  by  that  very  law,   as 
much  as  yourself;-  and  like  you,  have  no    authority  t» 
alter  or  break  it.     Lay  yoi^r  case   before  the  Legislator. 
He  goes  there,  states  his  case,  and  gets  this  answer.     "It 
*  Psalm  23  ,'28,  Isaiah  45,  S.'?. 


45 

was~  Viiybusiiies^n©  make  and  to  publish  that  very  law, 
if  you  ha\e  transgressed  it,  that  is  not  my  fault,  and 
with  tliat,  my  department  has  no  concern.  The  ver} 
design  of  my  law  was  to  prevent  such  conduct  on  your 
part  as  has"  placed  you  in  those  disagreeable  circum- 
stances." 

But  says  the  culprit,  "T  did  not  make  myself,  nor 
keep  myself;  and  hoy/  could  T  help  the  misfortune  of 
breaking  your  law?  It  is  ansyy-ered,  "Bull,  yourlegis 
later,  made  none  of  you,  all  that  I  have  done  was 
to  sa}'  authoritatively,  if  you  .transs^ressed  law,  be  sure 
your  sin  shall  find  you  out,"  and  so  "it  evidently  has 
done,"  coming  but  poor  speed  in  this  department  of  the 
goveinmentas  it  respects  obtaining  relief  from  the  pen- 
alty of  law,  he  s^oes  back  a  step  further,^  to  Him  who  is- 
^''Cowfm^/oz^.s' providential  agent;"  and  states  his  case^ 
perhaps  in  the  following  way.  "It  is  true,  I,  not  thou 
any  preserver,  broke  a  law  that  was  placed  over  me ;  but 
why  didst  thou  preserve  me  in  such  a  manner,  at  the 
time  I  transgressed,  as  has  rendered  me  plainly  liable  t» 
suffering,  according  to  known  law?  The  answer  comes. 
My  manner  of  preserving  you  did  not  render  you  liable 
to  suff tiring  according  to  lav/  ;  for  the  law  has  nothing  to 
do,  with  my  manner  of  preserving  you,  norany  one  else; 
nor  had  I,  as  providential  Agent,  any  thing  to  do  with 
making  that  law.  M}^  concern  is,  to  uphold  you,  and 
preserve  you,  just  as  you  come  into  my  hands,  froiri^ 
fliose,  of  your  creator. 

At  last  the  culprit  s:oes  to  the  one  v^ho  is  Creator.. 
.And  why  thou  uncreated  and  all  creatin.g,  didst  thou 
inake  me  thus  and  so?  why  didst  thou  make  me  in  such 
7i  way,  as  I  find,  has  fairly  rendered  me  liable  to  suffer 
nccording  to  a  given  law?  But  here  he,  receives  this- 
•answer;  My  making  thee  in  that  way  has  not  rendered 
•you  thus  liable  to  suffer,  nor  would  it,  had  I  made  you  in 
my  other  way;  for  the  law  over  you,  has  nothing  to  do, 
"vith  my  manner  or  way  of  making^  you,  nor  hays  I,  ^"^ 


46 

your  maker,  any  thing  to  do,  either,  v/ith  making  the 
law:  and  before  you  were  made  I  could  not  ask  you  what 
3''cu  wouki  please  to  be;  and  after  you  were  made,  it 
was  quite  too  late  to  ask  that  question."  Wherefore  the 
^hing  formed  hath  no  right  to  say  to  its  creator  wh}^ 
h?M  thou  ?}icide  me  thus. 


(g©]^Tii^B©iN.s^ii©:^  ©a 


N-  Indeed  A,  I  cannot  find  fault  with  this  your  ex- 
plination;  but  still  this  question  returns  to  my  minc^ 
does  not  that  very  sinfulness  of  the  culprit,  which  ex- 
posed him  to  suffer  under  law,  does  it  not  in  some  wa^r 
go  to  implicate  the  character  of  the  Divine  Being,  as 
his  agency,  you  admit,  was  the  first  cause,  of 'all  things 
tind  all  their  actions;  yea  even  their  evil  free  choices? 

A.  I'll  grant  that  the  divine  agency  was  the  first  cause, 
of  the  evil  choice  in  a  transgression;  but  can  make  it  ap- 
pear that  God's  moral  character,  notwithstanding,  is  im- 
impeached  and  unimpeachable. 

N.  It  really  seems  to  me,  A.  you  will  have  to  squeeze 
through  a  very  tight  place,  if  you  come  out  fairly  and 
honestly  with  that  conclusion. 

A.  No  doubt  you  think  so,  for  you  have  all  along  been 
ftiking  it  for  granted,  that  the  connexion  between  cause 
and  effect,  is  the  same,  as  that  between  a  fountain  and 
its  stream;  or  the  sun  and  his  rays.  But  the  connexion 
feetween  cause  and  effect,  is  not  the  same,  as  that  be- 
tween a  fountain  and  its  stream.  For  a  nUsvan  aiwai/s 
partakes'of  the  nature  of  its  fountain;  and  no  svjeet  loun- 
tein  ever  has,  nr^r  ever  can  send  fovth  bitter  streams. 

But  the  effect  never  docs  necessarily  partake  of  the  na- 
ture of  tlie  cause.     And  if  an  eflcct  in  any  case,  may  par- 
t-ake  of  the  narure  of  t!ie  cause,  it  is  not  ovv'ing  to  the  one 
being  caus  ',  and  the  other,  e-Fect;  but  barely  and  purely 
feerau'^'.e  the  cai>se  chose  to  ha^'e  it  so.     For  example^  dj- 


41 

vine  agency  is  the  cause  of  the  earth, -and  the  eatth  is  the 
eftect;  now  it  is  plain,  that  the  earth  does  not  partake  cff 
the  nature  of  the  divine  agency.  The  divine  agency  is 
the  cause  of  all  things;  and  if  the  effect  did  nece.^^sarilz/ 
partalie  of  the  nature  of  the  cause,  then  all  things  would 
have  topariake  of  the  nature  "of  divine  agency.  So  therj,, 
it  is  just  as  easy  to  see  how  the  divine  agency  muy  be 
the  cause  of  evil  choices,  and  yet  these  choices,  partake 
7>ot^  of  the  nature  of  the  divine  agency;  as  it  is  to  see, 
liow  the  divine  agency,  may  be  the  cause  of  any  other 
thing  whatever,  and  yet  that  thing,  not  partaking,  of  the 
nature  of  the  divine  agency. 

N.  I  am  satisfied  that  the  eifect  does  not  necessarily^ 
partake  of  the  nature  of  its  cause.  But  my  choice,  whe- 
ther good  or  bad  is  an  effect,  is  it  not? 

A.  Yes,  it  is  an  effect  of  the  divine  agenc}',  its  cause. 

N.  Now,  seeing  it  does  not  necessarily,  partake  of  the 
nature  of  its  cause;'  I  would  here  ask  this  question; — 
can  that  choice  itself  be  necessarily,  either  sinful,  or  holy? 

A.  No.  It  is  neither  necessarily  sinful,  nor  necessarilv 
Jioly. 

N.  But,  under  law  ana  government,  is  not  evtvy  choice 
or  exerche  of  heart,  that  I  have,  most  certainly  either 
s-inful  or  else  holy? 

A.  Yes,  it  must  be,  certainly,  either  sinful  or  holy,  but 
by  no  means  necessarily  so. 

N.  Then  please  shew,  why  a  choice.  Is  certainly  sin- 
fiil,  or  holy,  while  at  the  same  time,  it  is  not  necessarily 
go? 

A.  You  know  man  is  a  moral  agent,  and  that  this  mor- 
ail  agent  was  certainly  made  so,  and  is  so  upheld,  by  a 
continuous  providential  agency.  And  you  know  that 
man's  moral  agency,  consists  in  choosing  and  refusing 
merely;  and  not  in  a  power  of  choosing,  and  in  a  power 
af  refusing.  There  is  a  difference  betvreen  moral  agen- 
cy and  m.oral  ability.  Moral  ability,  is  the  being  willing^ 
to  do  sofijethinga  and  mor^l  iaabilitjf  co.nsists  in,  the  be- 


48 
nig  unwilling  to  do  that  thing.  So  the^ia  nian  is  q  tno? 
■a\  agent,  whether  he  l>e  morally  able,  or  morally  unable 
to  do  that  thing;  in  other  words  whether  he  be  willing 
@r  unwilling,  to  do  it.  Good  or  evil  belongs  to  a  man's 
own  choices:  Now  y  ui  \vil!  agree  with  the  Apostle,  that 
'Sin  is  the  transgression  of  the  law,  and  where  there  is 
''DO  law,  there  is  no  transgression."* 

Those  choices  of  course,  are  good,  "morally  good,'^ 
where  they  agree  with  this  law,  and  morally  bad,  when 
they  cross  it.  Now  as  it  is  certain  that  there  is  a  law,  and 
us  it  is  equally  certain,  that  your  choices  do  take  place, 
under  that  law,  and  are  either,  at  agreement  or  disagree- 
ment with  it;  just  so,  are  they  certainly,  sinful,  or  else 
holy. 

N.  That  satisfactorily  accounts  for  the  certainty  of 
their  m.oral  quality;  because  they  would  have  no  moral 
quality,  if  the)^  had  no  law  extended  over  them.  But 
why  are  these  choices  not  also  necessarily  sinful  or  holy, 
as  well  as  certainly  so? 

A.  Because,  if  these  choices  were  necessarily,  eithr*' 
s'lnful,  or  holy,  then,  they  would  be  just  as  sinful  or  as 
holy,  if  there  were  no  law  at  all,  over  them,  as  they  could 
be  in  and  under  law. 

Further,  these  choices  would  have  to  derive  their  sup- 
posed holiness,  or  necessary  sinfulness,  in  one  or  the 
other  of  these  ways.  First,  either  as  an  effect  neces- 
sarily partaking  of  the  nature  of  its  cause,  which,  has 
been  shewn,  is  not  true ;  or  secondly,  that  the  cause 
produced  the  sinfulness  or  holiness,  of  the  choices  out 
of  nothing,  just  as  it  did  the  remaining  parts  of  the 
choices  themselves ;  and  that  in  this  sense  the  choices 
could  not  exist  without  their  sinfulness  nr  holiness,  any 
more  than  the  sinfulness  or  holiness  could  exist  without 
the  choices.  Now  if  this  were  so,  then  the  sinfulness 
or  holiness  of  a  choice,  would  enter  into  the  very  entity 
of  the  choice,  and  be  constituent  of  the  choice,  and 
~  *See  Romans  3,  !9— aad  5, 13. 


49 

auch  a  choice  would  be  just  tiie  very  same  ©ut  from  ilrf- 
derlaw,  as  it  would  be  la  under  law.  And  such  a  kiucf 
-®f  necessary  holiness  or  sinfulness  as  this,  could  have 
nothing  to  do,  with  law  or  government.  Because  law 
and  government  could  have  no  more  influence  in  re- 
straining such  a  kind  of  necessarily  produced  sinfulness, 
in  ones  exercises;  or  in  promoting  such  a  kind  of  ne- 
•^essarily  produced  holiness  in  ones  exercises,  or  choi- 
ces; than  they  could,  in  restraining  a  river,  or  in  pro- 
moting the  growth  of  a  tree.  Therefore  any  concieva* 
ble  or  sunposahle  quality  that  a  choice  or  volition  can 
feave,  out  from  under  law,  could  not  be  promoted  nor  re- 
strained, either,  by  law  or  government.  For  abstract 
qualities  of  choices  are  not  the  objects  of  law  and  ^OV'- 
criiment:  but  the  very  choices  themselves.  And  these 
choices  are  morally  good,  or  morally  bad,  accordingly  as 
they  agree  or  disagree,  with  the  lav/  that  is  extended 
©yer  them. 

N.  I  understanding:  voiir  rea.soninf^  friend  A,  and  to 
me,  it  clears  the  great  first  cause  of  all  blame-worthiness 
in  the  certain  existence  of  moral  evil.  I  believe.  He  is 
as  clear  of  sinning-,  in  causing;  evil;  as  he  is  clear  of 
heat,  in  causing  heat ;  or  of  cold,  in  causing  cold.  Yet, 
though  my  judgment  seems  convinced,  of  the  truth  and 
fairness  of  your  reasonings  ;  still  I  find  these  misgivings 
lurking  within ;  "what,  is  G)d's  agency  as  much  con- 
cerned in  causing  the  bad,  as  the  good  choices,  of  every 
dependant  free  agent?  dismiss  that  conclusion,  though 
you  cannot  deny  it." 

A.  These  misgivings  of  yours,  are  common  to  ail, 
when  they  are  at  first,  introduced  into  new  views  of  the 
truth  on  this  subject.  Yet  they  furnish  no  sort  of  re- 
biitting  argument  whatever. 

N.  As  in  the  causation  of  moral  evil,  you  make  it  ap- 
pear, that  God  is  nothing  the  worse  of  it ;  any  more 
than  he  could  be,  in  the  causation  of  matter  the  less  im^ 


59 

meterial;  yet  do  you  think,  that  in  tlie  cansatioii  oP  sin, 
Gocl  diddisplayany  wisrlo  n  ai:!  2^y)  I'lissP 

A.  Yes,  both,  in  ilea's arably.  riisv  who  believe 
that  the  Divine  Being  "permitted  ni  Tal  evil  to  take 
place  in  the  world,"  agree  that  he  display'd  wisd)m  and 
o'oodness  in  perniitting  it.  For  if  it  had  not  been  the 
•<visest  and  best,  on  the  whole,  that  sin  should  be,  he 
tv-ovrid  not  have  perniittel  it  to  be.  But  T  cannot  agree, 
^hat  rnoral  evil,  could  ever  have  taken  place,  by  a  mere 
pera'iission ;  because,  whene\'er  we  suppose,  an  it,  we 
are  supposing  the  thing  is  already  in  existence  waiting 
for  permission  to  come  forward;  and  after  it  had  waited 
a  while,  he  tlicn  permits  it,  to  take  place  :  whereas  in 
fact,  ;:o  it,  v;as  there,  till  s methinf^;  did  exist.  There- 
fore it  would  be  more  correct  to  say,  he  permitted  a  Cloth- 
ing to  take  place. 

N.  I  admit  the  permission  plan,  supposes  a  curious 
self-existent  it,  wlicre  there  vras  no  such  thing. 

A.   Well — still    it  was  best,  on  the  whole,  that   sin 

xiculd  take  place,  or  the  Deity  never  Vv-ould  have  caused 
it ;  because  it  is  wise  and  good  that  he  shotdd  display 
his  chaiacter,  to  the  highest  and  best  advantage,  befare 
his  intelligent  creatures;  while  in  doing  so,  he  would  be 
bringing  out  and  perpetuating  the  very  highest  holiness 
nnd  happiness,  of  which  their   natures  aie    susceptible. 

This  could  be  done  better  through  the  plan  of  redeoip- 
lion,  than  it  could  have  been  done,  without  it.  But  the 
plan  of  redemption  v/as  established,  expi-essly  for  the 
use  and  advantage  of  sinners.  Therefore  had  sin  not 
been ;  of  course  had  th>ere  been  no  sinner  to  save, 
there  could  have  been  no  plan  of  salvation.     Tiiere  was 

the  same  wisdovi  and  goodness  displayed  in  the,  causa- 
ti(.n  of  moral  evil    then,  as  was   displayed  in  adopting 

L\ioi  carrying  il^rwaid  the  plan  of  Sahaticn:  unless  you 
V/ouid  hold  that  there  is  not  tlie  same  h'>  sdom  and  go.od- 
ness  in  adopting:  the  means,   as,  in     .lopting  the  end, 

yvhichisto  l;e  accomplished  hy  thobu  very  means. 


5t 

N.  You  seem  A.  to  make  out  the  eonclusion,  wiie. 
iher  one  Mill  have  it  so,  or  no%  tha-  God  works  by  rule 
and  plan,  according  to  exact  order,  in  every  thing  he 
does,  before  the  Uiii verse. 

A.  Indeed  I  would  so  'have  it;  and  do  fondly  hope., 
tl>at  he  will  not  j^o  on  without  rule,  and  plan,  and  order., 
atL-^astso  long  as  he  is  able,  and  wise  enough,  and  good 
eaiough  too,  to  keep  on  in  exact  accordance  with  the  best 
plan,  rule,  and  order  conceivable. 

N.  Wlien  ^  think  hov/ admirably  adapted,  the  mean-s 
are  to  accomplish  the  great  and  G  )d-like  end,  proposed 
bv  the  infinite  mind ;  and  how  perfectly  each  part,  of 
His  well  adjusted  plan,  shall  succeed  in  bringing  out  ite 
destined  results,  and  thereby  developing  heights  and 
depths,  of  wis  lo-nand  goodness,  in  God  before  his  ador- 
ing universe;  it  is  difficult  to  say  which,  among  the  dif- 
ferent orders  of  holy  creatures,  shall  experience  most 
^Tatitude  orfeel  highest  admiration.  But  still  friend  A, 
if  it  be  a  fact,  that  sin  could  not  exist  out  from  under  la^-v" 
and  government,  would  not  a  knowledge  of  that  fact^ 
tend  to  weaken  our  impressions  of  the  native  and  in 
Iierent  turpitude  and    malignity  of  sin? 

A.  A  knowledge  of  trutli  Vvdll  weaken  false  impres- 
i*ions,  if  we  have  them ;  it  will  deepen  correct  impres- 
sions, if  we  have  them;  and  it  will  produce  them,  if  we 
liaye  them  not.  And  nn  this  subject,  it  is  as  needful  to 
Vveaken  false  impressions,  and  to  deepen  correct  oneSj 
>as  on  any  other   subject. 

N.  Yesj  this  is  truly  needful :  and  will  you  therefore 
Mate  your  views  a  little  further  on  this  important  sub- 
ject? 

A.  Well,  I  conceive  that  ail  objects  of  sinful  exer- 
s-ises,  are  contraband.  VVhereas^sin  is  the  transgression  af 
]av»^,''-^'it  is  plain  tiiat  '^vh;re  there  is  no  law,  t  sere  is  n® 
fe-a-isgressi on."-  A<jdit  is  equally  clear,  t'lat  '-'what  things 


52 
soever  the  law  saith,  it  saith  to  them  who  are  under  the 
lavv."*^     And  no  beings  are   proper  subjects  of  hiw,  ex 
cept  those  beings,  whose  nature  is  such,  as  that  their  ac 
tions  may  be  regulated  by  law. 

But  if  there  were  no  \^\v  over  sui^h  beinsrs,  to  reea- 
late  their  actions,  such  actions  would  be  no  more  sinfui 
or  holy,  than  the  actions  of  those  creatures,  whose  na- 
tures are  such,  that  their  actions  cannot  be  regulated 
fey  law. 

If  mankind  had  been  placed  in  such  a  state,  it  woult 
have  been  a  state  of  wildness,  confusion,  and  of  misery^5 
instead  of  a  state  of  society,  order  and  of  happinesSi 
In  such  a  wild  state,  each  individual  misrht  have  oc- 
casioned  the  same  kind  cf  terror,  devastation,  and  mise- 
ry among  the  others,  as  the  beasts  of  the  forrest  do,  witk 
all  the  natural  evil,  that  can  be  conceived  to  exist,  1$. 
such  a  state  of  confusion,  and  yet  they  would  not  have 
been  what  we  call  sinners  ;  "for  sin  is  the  transgressioil 
of  law." 

N.  But  if  one  had  killed  and  eaten  another,  wouli. 
fiot  that  have  been  a  sin? 

A.  No,  no  more  than  if  a  bear  had  done  it.  True, 
it  would  have  been  a  natural  evil,  like  all  other  similar 
oases. 

N.  Then  was  law  and  government  established,  ex- 
-pressly,  to  prevent  all  this  natural  evil,  from  taking 
Ijlace? 

A.  Yes,  and  to  secure  all  the  natural  good,  such  as 
peace,  order  and  happiness,  that  can  be  secured  under 
Jaw,  and  government. 

N.  Was  not  God  wonderfully  wise  and  good,  in  estab- 
lishing law  and  govrnment,  to  prevent  all  tlie  natural 
evil,  and  to  secure  all  the  natural  good,  that  can  be  sc- 
oured in  the  universe,  by  law  and  government? 

A.  Yes.  for  the  lav/  commands,  all  the  thoughts,  de- 
sires, and  exercises  of  heart,  which  tend  to  bring,  out 
"~*B9ra.  4,  I5fk5,  13.  '  '  ~ 


58  ^ 

!y>i?;  natural  good.  And  it  expressly  forToiS?  all  tlie  d?:-- 
excises  of  heart,  which  tend  to  bring  out  that  natural 
ovi). 

Now  all  tlie  exercises  of  heart  which  are  consistent, 
v.ith  the  law,  are  morally  good,  or  holy.  And  all  the  ex- 
(34-es  of  heart,  which  are  contrary  to  the  law,  are  mor- 
a'.iv  evil,  or  sinful. 

N.  Then  if  one  man  kill .  another,  contrary  to  law^ 
hre  there  not  tn^o  evils  committed,  a  natural^  and  a  mor- 
al evil? 

A.   Yes,  this  must  follow. 

N.  For  which  of  the  two  should  he  be  called  to  aij 
aicc^u'it,  and  punished  according  to  law? 

A.  F->r  the  moral  evil,  or  sin,  which  is  the  transg-es- 
sj-^n    f  the  law. 

N.  Why  not  for  the  natm'al  evil?  is  not  his  deg-ee  of 
moral  turoitude  or  criniinalty  great,  in  proportion  to  the- 
quap.titv  of  particular  natural  evil  committed? 

A.  No — evervsinisa  transgression  of  law.  And  ifcfi 
natural  tendencv  is  to  ovej'turn  law,  and  government^ 
and  to  prevent  all  the  natural  goo'l,  which  law  an!  gov- 
ernment were  intended  to  secure  ;  andt)  introduce  all  the- 
natural  evil,  supposed  to  exist  in  a  state  of  wildness^ 
confusion,  and  misery.  Nnv  his  moral  tur-pituds,  or 
Crininality  is  great,  in  proportion  all  this  ;  which  is  ex- 
Geedingh'  greater,  than  if  it  were  only  in  proportion  t» 
the  degree  of  particular  natural  evil  committed. 

The  m')ral  meanness  of  sin,  consists  in  this.  The 
sinner  prefers  his  own  petty,  selfish  gratification,  f--oeu- 
in  committing  a  natural  evil,  to  all  the  good  and  ha  )ni- 
iiess  of  the  universe.  N^thino:  can  be-  meaner,  ^nd: 
its  degree  of  criminality,  is  in  proportion  t:»  the  ex.  el- 
ience  of  the  law  transgressed.  Sin  is  therefore  '*  ex- 
ceedingly sinful ;"  or,  "rhrDugh  the  o  n  iiand  n^it,  sin 
becomes  a  most  exceeding  sinner."* 

N.   TKoi-.  ;t  is  nr-v^er,  that  the  law    should  g-uard   the 

:*  Romaiitf  7,  13.  Greek.  '    '-—---'r-.--«--"«^— .^-r-.— --— ^ 


5i4 

'  interests  of  the  universe,  against  such  lawless  oti'e!idei«^ 
by  an  appropriate  penalty? 

A.  Yes.  And  now  tell  me,  sir,  what  do  you  think,  is 
the  proper  design  of  the  penalty  of  law,  or  punish- 
ment? 

N.  It  is  properly  designed  to  restrain  the  lawless, 
from  injuring  others,  and  also  to  deter  others  from  mis- 
chief, 

A.  Yes.  But  why  might  it  not  be  designed,  also,  t® 
reform  the  offender? 

N.  Whereas  it  is  not  in  the  nature  of  pain,  or  punish- 
ment, to  reform  an  offender,  a  wise  Legislator  would  not 
design  it,  for  that  purpose. 

A.  What  is  the  only  Vv^ay,  in  which  we  may  expect  arj. 
offender  to  be  reformed? 

N.  By  the  influence  of  the  Divine  Spirit  only.  \f 

A  How  long  should  an  offender,  be  restrained  by  pun- 
ishment, or  penalty  of  law? 

N.  While  ever  he  continues  to  transgress  the  law,  and 
retains  his  disposition  to  do  mischief  unto  others. 

A,   Will  not  this  be,  in  some  cases,  forever? 

N.  Yes,  there  is  every  reason  to  believe  it. 

A,  In  such  cases,  might  it  not  be  an  act  of  goodnes^ 
or  benevolence  in  God,  to  cut  ofl"  such  offenders,  and  put 
them  out  of  existence? 

N.  No.  For  if  the  nature  of  criminality  be  such, 
that  God,  in  gfjodiiess  to  the  universe,  and  in  the  true 
spirit  of  perfect  benevolence  to  the  offender,  may  es- 
tablish such  a  law  and  government,  at  all;  he  can  in  the 
sane  spirit,  go  on  to  maintain  that  law,  and  govern- 
ment. And  it  vv^ould  be  perfectly  inconsistent  with  the 
true  nature  of  real  goodnes«:  and  benevolence,  to  depart^ 
in  any  case,  from  ssuch  u  line  of  conduct. 


a  it 


N.  Wheretisiill  mcinkiiid  are  subjects  of  Divine  iavi\ 
and,  by  nature,  sinners  condemned  by  that  law ;  it  is  of 
importance  that  we  should  understand  the  connexion  of 
the  human  family,  one  with  another ;  and  how  it  came 
to  pass  that  all  without  exception  have  joined  together^ 
as  one  man,  in  transgres-^ion,  in  such  a  way  that  all  de- 
serve a  simihir  treatment.  For  unless  we  do  understand 
these  points,  v/c  cannot  properly  justify  the  ways  of 
God  to  men,  I  wish,  therefore,  to  hear  a  strict  definitioR 
of  sin. 

A.  Well;  sin  is  thetransj^ression  of  the  law.  A  bare 
ivnnt  of  conformity  to  the  law,  is  not  sin ;  otherwise^ 
trees,  and  horses  might  be  called  sinners. 

N.   What  is  original  sin? 

A.  Adam's  first  sin. 

N.  ^^'as  that  sin  of  Adan  original  sin,  merely  because 
it  was  first? 

A.  No;   for  Eve  was  first  in  the  transgression. 

N.  Then,  why  was  Adam's  first  sin  called  original- 
sin? 

A.  Because  his  first  sin,  was  the  fountain  head,  fronit. 
v/hich  all  the  sins  of  his  posterity  arose,  as  so  manf 
branches. 

N.   Is  there  any  other  sin  that  is  original  sin? 

A.   No,  no  other. 

N.  What  kind  of  a  connexion  exists  between  Adai"^ 
and  his  posterity? 

A,  It  is  a  natural  connexion,  as  between  other  thingsj 
■somewhat  like  tfie  co:inexio:i  -if  touataia  and  stream. 

N.  Did  the  Divine  Beiig  establish  this  connexion? 

A.  Yes,  as  he  did  all  r>ther  natural,  and  moral  connex-- 
ion;-'. 

N.  Is  there  as  much  certainty  that  all  Adam's  natural 


56 

desc^nrlnnts  as   m:,n,  will  belike  hi'Ti ;   as  there  is  that 
the  desce-.Kla-ns  of  any  certain  tree,  will  be  like  that  tree? 

A.    Yes,  fully. 

A.  And  has  the  Divine  Being  made  it  equally  certain^ 
\lvM  their  moral  character  will  be  like  Adam's  moral 
character  ? 

A.  Yes,  whether  his  moral  character  be  ^ood,  or  bad. 

If  Adan  had  continued  of  a  s'ood  moral  character^ 
6">rir's  wnuUI  have  been  f^ood  ;  but  as  he  sinned  and  be- 
came of  a  bad  moral  cha 'acter,  their's  are,  and  will  be 
bad  by  nature.  And  it  is  in  this  sense,  that  God  has 
included  all  under  sin,  that  he  might  have  mercy  on  all^ 
in  establishii;g  a  plan  of  salvation  fitted  to  the  guilt*'* 
circumstances  of  all. 

N.  And  do  they  ail  derive  their  moral  character  fron^ 
him,  as  a  stream  from  a  foutain.^ 

A.  Yes  ;  and  it  is  in  this  sense,  that  no  sweet  founlaia 
Sends  forth  biiter  streavrss ;  and  no  bitter  fountain  sends 
fi->rth  sweet  streams.  Therefore  if  Adam  had  contin-< 
tied  holy,  or  of  g  )od  •nj'a'  character,  all  his  posterity 
Would  have  derived  a  g  )od  moral  cliaracter,  from  hisgoo^ 
moral  character;  but  whereas  he  sinned,  and  became  of 
a  bad  ra:;ral  character,  they  all  derive  a  bad  moral  char' 
acter  from  his  bad  moral  character;  or  more  strictly 
fr'  m  his  first  sin,  which  is  original  sin,  as  a  stream  from■J^ 
fountain. 

V.  Did  Adam's  own  personal  subsequent  sins  arise- 
from  his  first  sin,  as  a streaii  fr  )m  a  fountain.^ 

A.  Yes;  Ada  n's  O'vvn  sins,  which  he  committed  aFiet 
his  first  sin  which  is  original  sin,  had  the  same  kind  of 
a  connexion  with,  and  arose  from  his  fi^'st  sin,  as  the  sins 
of  his  posterity  did;  his  first  sin  being  the  origin  or 
fountain,  a^  d  all  his  oth  ^r  sins,  being  the  stream. 

N.   S'lew  liow  tliat  is,  more  fully. 

A.  Then  wliereas  Go*^,  in  his  infinite  wisdom  anel 
goodn^^-s,  th'iught  nroner  v<^  creaf^  mankind,  and  mnke 
them  inlellige.nt,  rational,    accountable    creatures,  that 


5f 
should  exist  forever,  capable  of  enjoying  happiness,  and 
of  suffering  pain  ;  and  whereas  he  also  thought  proper 
to  establish  over  them,  a  complete  and  perfect  system 
of  government,  and  to  conduct  the  administration  of  that 
go\'ernment  forever,  in  such  a  way  as  to  bring  out  the 
greatest  possible  amount  of  happiness  which  is  the  pro- 
per end  of  government.  It  as  well  became  him,  for  the 
honor  of  his  name,  and  the  good  of  his  kingdom,  to  dis^ 
play  his  wisdom.,  in  adapting  the  subjects  to  the  govern- 
ment, as  in  adapting  the  governm.ent  to  the  subjects. 

Wherefore,  that  there  might  be  no  kind  of  inconsist- 
ency, any  where,  in  this  whole  arrangement,  God  deter- 
mined that  all  mankind,  that  is,  Adam  and  Eve,  and  aM 
Adam's  natural  descendants  should  be  as  one  individual^ 
under  government;  and  that  the  governmental  treat- 
ment of  all  should  be  as  if  all  were  one  :  that  is,  there 
should  be  a  legal  oneness  of  chara^.ter,  and  government" 
■al  treatment.  And  then  the  same  governmental  princi- 
ples would  fit  all  the  subjects,  of  similar  character.  And 
the  governmental  treatment  of  all  would  be  alike,  in  sim- 
ilar circumstances.  Nov/,  seeing  all  should  be  as  one^ 
in  nature,  moral  character,  and  governmental  treatment; 
it  was  very  proper  that  all  should  be  represented  in,  and 
by  one  man.  And,  for  many  reasons  that  could  be  giv- 
en, Adam  was  the  most  proper  person,  of  the  humam 
family,  that  could  have  been  chosen  as  this  representa- 
tive, who  should  represent  the  whole  human  family.  And 
to  a  reflecting,  inquiring  mind,  the  wisdom,  and  good- 
•ness  of  God  are  wonderfully  displayed  in  this  matter. 
And  no  objection,  can  possibly  be  made  against  God's 
appointment  of  Adam  as  a  pattern,  to  represent  the  whole 
human  family,  in  nature,  moral  character,  and  govern- 
^lental  treatment,  but  what  would  equally  be  made  a- 
gainst  God,  for  making  either  Adam,  or  any  of  his  pos- 
terity, human  beings;  instead  of  animals  of  some  otiier 
kind,  whose  nature  and  case,  perhaps,  would  not  have 
feeen  adapted  to  the  principles  of  the  -Divine  govern- 


58- 
Jtent,  as  ibey  laow  exist.  Adiim  was,  therefore,  wisely  ap- 
pointed or  constituted  the  head  and  representative  of  the 
whole  1  uiran  faniiiy,  ard  placed  in  the  garden,  with  a 
rig-ht  heart,  under  moral  law,  in  the  most  favourable  cir- 
cumstances, both  for  himself,  and  for  the  human  family, 
to  represent  the  esiablishment  b  th  of  his  own,  and  of 
their  moral  character,  and  governmental  treatmerjt. 

For  this  purpose,  there  was  a  state  or  time  of  trial^j 
or  probation  appointed  him ;  at  the  end,  of  which  state 
of  probation,  stood  two  trees ;  the  tree  of  lif:^,  and  the 
tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good,  and  evil.  And  eX'-  i 
press  liberty  was  given  him,  to  eat  of  ail  the  trees  of  the 
l^arden  freely;  except  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of 
ffood  and  evil.  But  of  tliis  tree,  he  vvas  expresslv  f3r- 
bidden  to  eat,  on  pain  of  death.  H-re  the  most  favour- 
i\h\e  trial  was  given  him,  that  could  have  been  given. 
For  the  tree  of  life  was  one  of  the  trees,  of  which  he 
liitd  liberty  to  eat  freely.  If  A^lam  had  eaten  of  this 
iR^ee  of  life,  his  state  of  probation  would  have  been  end- 
1^1,  and  the  moral  character  of  himself,  and  of  the  hu- 
S^an  family  would  have  been  established  good;  and  c^ 
♦'  urse,  their  corresponding  good  governmental  treat- 
(feitrt.  But  instead  of  this,  he  eat  of  the  forbidden  tree:j 
-andt'ien  his  state  of  pro!:>a!ion  was  ended,  and  the  mor- 
^1  character  of  himself,  aul  the  human  family,  was  es- 
^bli-shed  bad;  and  of  course,  their  corresponding  bad 
^governmental  treatment. 

N'.  w  to  establish  tlieir  ip-oral  character  Vv'as  this.  God 
,l^ad  decided  that  a'?  Adam's  heart  was,  when  his  state  ol 
■prcbati' m  was  ovit,  or  ended,  wh'.-th.-r  good,  or  baci;  s6 
it  should  continue  perpetuiiiy  under  iavr;  arid  that  the 
Jiearts  of  all  the  human  family,  or  of  all  his  natural  de- 
■scendants  should  be,  and  c  ^ntinue  perpetually  g  ;od,  ot". 
fcad,  'ike  hib  vvas,  wh^n  liis  trial  wan  end^td.  Aiul  ift 
%his  way,  ihey  aii  were  to  b-  rjeavered  up  to  the  domin- 
ion :  'olimss  or,  of  si;,  iA:i:ler  the  law.  And  this 
*^Ti  ©uiu    fcoLStitute  aiitl  fc-slablish  a  ie^al  characterj  j^ood 


©rbarl;  so  tlnit  they  all  pii.-'it  receive  ^  ^♦i^eirii^netiial 
tnatiiicnt  correspondin;^  t)  t!r-?ir  oi-iral  charactei,  :ro  d, 
or  bad.  Now  when  Adam  had  done  the  thinj^  that  end- 
ed his  state  of  prohati;>n  under  the  law,  the  moral, 
eharacterof  himself,  and  his  whole  family,  was  confirmed, 
f:iv  establisiied,  both  by  his  own  deed,  and  by  the  decis- 
ion of  his  maker. 

And  in  this  way,  Adan  and  tlie  wlioie  hu^:ian  fiunily, 
(jlescendins:  from  him  in  the  ordinary  wav,  were  deliver- 
ad  up  to  the  d(^.minion  cf  sin  under  the  lavv' of  uorks, 
which  I  call  the  establishment  <if  their  m^)ral  character. 

Now  if  this  be  ti-u",  Adam's  first  sin,  was  as  reaUy  th& 
•ri|:in,  or  fountain  tvora  r/hich  his  own  personal  subse- 
«^nent   si-is  arose,  as  it  was  the   origin  of  the  sins  cf  his 

,'stcritv. 

N.   H  )w  was  Eves  moral  character  establisl'ied? 

A.-  Precisely  as  the  balance  of  the  human  fam.iiy. 

N.  Was  she  not  first  in  the  trans-,^ression? 

A.  Yes.  Buttbat  did  not  establish  her  moral  charac- 
ter. 

Ahhough  Eve  was  not  0:1  e  oFxA  lam's  na^ural  descen- 
<ilan"s;  yet  she  was  as  re;d!y  rine  of  the  humati  laTnly,  and 
as  fully  and  naturally,  as  Adam  u'as.  And  she  was  as 
.  really  represented  in,  and  by  Adam,  as  any  of  the  bal- 
•  ance  of  the  family.  And  as  Adam's  mor^il  character  was 
to  be  established,  at  the  end  of  his  probation,  in,  and  hf 
©atir.g  of  either  of  the  two  trees,  accr-srding  to  his  con- 
duct, Vvdiether  good  or  bad;  so  her  moral  character  was 
*o  be  established  good,  or  bad,  at  the  sa-ne  time,  and  m 
the  same  way,  that  Adam's  v  as,  and  all  his  natural  des- 
cendants. . 

Wherefore  ail  the  sins,  she  committed,  after  Adam'^ 
first  sin,  had  the  same  kind  of  a  connexioii  with  A'^am's= 
first  sii!,  that  Adam's  owm  persoi.al  subsequent  sinshad^ 
m-  any  ^.ther  of  the  family. 

Bat  the  sins  she  com.mitted,  brfore  Adarr.^s  first  sin, 
ng.<;i  tjusucli  connexion  vyith  his  first  sin-j,  and  did  not 


60 

decide  and"  establish  her  moral  character,  any  tnoYe  tMv'- 
her  farmer  goodness  cli(^  But  as  her  tbrmer  goodnessf 
did  not  decide  arid  establish  her  moral  character  good; 
so  neither  did  her  fonner  sins  establish  it  bad.  ^-^nd  as- 
mankind  did  not  become  good,  and  happy,  through 
her  former  personal  goodness;  so  neither  did  mankind 
become  wick  d,  and  unhappy,  thr.)ugh  her  former  per- 
sonal sins.  It  was  not  until  after  her  husband  "did  eat,'' 
that  "both  their  eyes  were  opened." 

N.  If  Eve  had  coritiiued  always,  just  as  she  was,  be- 
fore AdRxw  sinned,  so'ne  times  doing  right,  and  some 
times  doing  wTong;  ^vhat  sort  of  legal  character  would 
she  have  had? 

^.  On  that  supposition, she  would  have  had  no  legal 
character  at  ail,  according  to  the  moral  law.  For  sucli 
a  mixed  character  as  that,  w  uld  not  have  been  adapted  to 
the  government,  nor  the  govenment  to  such  a  character. 
But  there  w'ould  have  beer  an  inconsistency  between 
such  a  character,  and  the  principles  of  the  Divine  gov- 
ernment. And  such  an  inconsistent  adaptation  of  char- 
acter to  the  government,  and  of  government  to  the  char- 
acter, would  have  shov/n  a  defect  of  wisdom  in  the  Di- 
vine Being, 

N.  Could  she  have  been  rewarded  with  everlastino: 
hanpiness  according  to  law  ;  or  punished,  according  t® 
la^v;  or  could  she  have  been  pardoned  according  to  the 
gospel? 

A.  Neither  of  the  three  ways ;  for  such  a  character 
as  thst,  W(  uld  r,ot  hv.xe  been  adapted  to  either  the   law;, 
or  the  gospel.     And  with   such  a  mixt,  uncertain  char- 
acter, she  Cvoukl  not  have  been  treated  as  a  citizen,  or 
subject  of  the  Divine  government. 

N  Then  it  must  have  been  very  fortunate  for  Eve, 
that  her  chracter  was  established,  and  that  so  quickly" 
after  she  sinned,  by  and  according  to  Adam's  conduct. 

A.  Yes.  »/fnd  it  w^as  equally  forui/tite  for  ./^dam  anS 
aU  bis  family,  that  aJi  should  imve  their  morai  cimractex 


61 

ostablished  by,  andactordiii;.^  to  his  Goncluct.  For  had 
it  bee  Votii:;r\\'isri,  eve;i  if  they  hi  I  still  d^ie  right- and 
had  not  sinne  l,y 't,their  sn  )ra.l  char  icter  not  being  estab- 
lished, itwouM  have  been  very  uacertaia  how  long  any 
'of  them  w  >ald  cmti  aie  to  d  >  rig  it,  and  keep  from  sin- 
ining;  and  in  this  sense  at  best,  their  moral  character 
Would  have  been  uncertaio,  as  to  its  c ontinimace.  And 
if  at  any  time,  they,  or  any  oF  them,,  had  si;\ned,  their 
character  v/oqM  have  !jec  >me  a  mixt,  undefined  ch:i-:ic- 
ter  not  know  i'  inlaw.;  and  ■)f  murs^  ;i:)t  adapted  to  the 
law,  nor  to  the  gospel.  F  ^r  if  their  moral  character  be 
not  establishei  go  vl,  bv  A.  li  n's  eating  if  tne  tree  of 
life,  they  cou*d  not  hive  be^io  rswariel  with  everlast- 
ing happiness,  according  to  law.  Aoi  if  tlieir  n^ral 
character  he  not  established  bad,  byAdam' seat-ngofthe 
forbidden  tree,  they  could  not  have  been  punished  with 
gverlasting  punishment,  according  to  law.-  For  if  they 
-'.vere  to  do  soiietimes  right,  and  sometimes  wrong,  they 
would  have  such  a  miKt  undefined  character  not  known 
in  law,  that  they  could  not  be  treated  as  citizens,  or  sub- 
jects of  the  Divine  government.  So  far  from  it,  that  if 
they  all  had  not  been  "in  dueled. under  sin,"  vv'ith  an  es- 
taldished  cliaracter,  God  c^uld  not  have  had  even  mer- 
cy, on  all,  or  any,  according  to  the  gos])el. 

For,  "as  by  the  disobedience  of  one,  many  wQve  made 
sinners,"  in  the  way  above  stated;  "so  bv  tht  obedience 
of  one,  shall  many  be  made  righteous."  Because,  as 
Adam  was  constituted  the  head  and  representative,  of 
all  that  were  connected  with  him,  in  moral  character  and 
governmental  treatment,  according  to  the  moral  law,  or 
law  of  works,  as  above  seated;  so  Christ  was  constituted 
the  hea  -^-  and  representative,  of  ail  connected  with  him, 
in  moral  character  and  g')vernmeiital  treatment,  accord- 
ing to  the  ;.{ospel,  or  law  of  faith.  .And  in  this  sense,ali  that 
are  Christ's  derive,  or  recdve  their  moral  cha-acter  from 
^_     ;   h  :  chii,  v!.t-v- '-.^vi.-g   he  Man-^;-n  a-c:;i-'i    .■       -hich, 

Epii..l;^.^3.   4,  iS.     Coi.  1,  Id.  ii,  iO,  19.     Jo.ai  17,   ■-  ".?.6.  ~ 

F 


62 

their  own  personal  character  shall  be  shaped  in  tii^e, 
under  the  infiuencc  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  -iiid  established 
at  the  end  of  their  probation ;  and  their  consequent  gov- 
ernmental treatment,  according  to  the  gospel,  will  also 
be  established,  agreeing  with  his,  and  their  moral  char- 
acter. So  they,  who  are  Christ's  will  have  a  govern- 
mental character  established,  as  well  as  a  correspondent 
governmental  treatment.  And  in  this  sense,  Christ  is 
the  constituted  governmental  head,  and  represeritative  of 
all  connected  with  him  :  precisely,  as  Adam  vrr.s  the 
constituted  Q'overnmental  head,  and  renresentiitive  of  all 
connected  with  him..  Except  so  far  as  any  dilTerence 
may  arise  from  Adam's  connexion  being  a  natural  con- 
nexion, and  under  the  law  of  works;  and  Christ's  a  spir- 
itual connexion,  and  under  the  gospel,  or  law  of 
faith.    ■ 

N.  I  should  like  to  hear  ycu   state    some   points   of 
difference. 

A.  Well;  Adam  was  the  only  one  of  the  whole 
familv,  that  had  a  state  of  probation  appointed  him  per- 
onally,  under  the  lav/.  And  he  represented  hitnseif, 
his  wife,  and  the  whole  natural  family,  as  vv'-ell  those 
that  had  not  come  into  the' word,  at  tliat  time,  as  those 
that  had  come.  So  that  when  his  state  of  probation 
would  be  ended,  at  the  eating  of  either  of  the  two  trees, 
the  moral  character  of  the  wh:/ie  family  vy-ould  be  de- 
cided, and  established  und-r  the  law.  Fv)r  if  he  had 
eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  his  character  wjuld  have  been 
established  f^ood,  and  so  would  have  been  the  charac- 
ter of  the  whole  family. 

For  his  good  character  would  have  been  the  origin,  or 
fountain;  and  their's  the  streams.  And  no  sv;eet  ioun. 
tain  sends  forth  bitter  streams.  And  their  treatment, 
everla-.thig  life.  But  on  the  other  hand,  Adam  eat  of 
the  forl)irlden  tree,  and  his  moral  c!;aracter  was  decided., 
and  established  bad,  or  sinful,  e\en  by  his  first  sin,  and 
also  the  moral  character  of  the  whole  iamily  was  ciecid- 


68 

ed,  and  established  bad,  or  sinful,  by  the  same  act  of  Ad 
am.  F  sr  his  very  first  sin  was  the  origi  i,  or  fountain; 
and  all  the  succeeding  sins  of  the  whol^;  finily  /were 
tlie  streams.  And  no  bitter  fountain  sends  forth/sweet 
streams.  And  their  governmental  treatment  was  ever- 
lasting punishment,  consistently  with  their  bad  char- 
acter. 

Now  a  legal  character,  that  is  decided,  and  establish- 
ed good,  according  to  the  moral  law,  is  the  character  of 
one,  who  has  every  thought  of  the  imagination  of  his 
heart  good,  only  good,  and  that  continually.  And  the 
governmental  treatment  of  such  an  one,  is  everlasting 
happiness.  And  a  legal  character,  that  is  decided,  and 
established  bad,  according  to  the  moral  law,  is  the  cha- 
acter  of  one,  who  has  every  thought  of  the  imagination 
of  his  heart  evil,  only  evil,  and  that  continually.  And 
in  this  sense,  sin  has  dominion  over  him,  while  he  is 
under  the  law  ;  so  that  he  is  dead  in  sin,  and  this  is 
spiritual  death.  And  the  governmental  treatment  of 
such  an  one,  is  everlasting  punishment. 

But  Christ,  the  second  x\darn,  who  is  the  Lord  from, 
heaven,  had  no  such  state  of  probation  appointed  him  ; 
hut  lie  appointed  a  new  state  of  probation,  under  the 
gospel,  to  all  the  human  family,  which  was  during  then" 
temporal  life.  And  he  appointed  temporal  death,  as  an. 
end  to  that  state  of  probatioii.  In  this  new  state  of  pro- 
bation) each  and  every  individual  of  the  whole  natural 
family  of  Adam,  stands  a  uial  for  himself,  and  not  for 
another  ;  and  shows  by  liis  own  personal  conduct,  whe- 
ther or  no,  he  approves,  and  continues,thrjugh  his  whole 
state  of  prt:bation,  to  approve  of  the  CDnduct,  and  do 
the  deeds  of  his  father  ^^dam. ;  and  thereby,  deserve 
the  same  govern  nental  treatment.  For  tney  a /e  com- 
manded to  repent  of  their  sins,,  and  turn  from  the  evil  of 
thei'ways;  a  id  on  so  doing,  they  are  pro  uised  pardon, 
■a:id  everlasting  happiness.  But  die  personal  coni\i"A  of 
CTcr^'  individual  she\T,8  plainly,  th^t  lie   does,  and  wouM 


64 

continue,  through  his  wh.  ^le  state  of  probation,  to  ap- 
prove rhe  CO' duct,  and  do  the  deeds  of  his  faiher^dam. 
.^nd  consequently  deserve  the  same  governmental  treat- 
ment; unless  the  Holy  Spirit  shali  convince  him  of  sin^ 
and  quicken  him  into  newiiess  of  life,  ^nd  in  this  wav. 
all  are  ingrafted  into  Christ,  who  are  represented  bv  him. 
Nov/  all  that  are  thus  in^^rafted  into  Christ,  during  their 
state  of  probation,  will,  at  their  death  which  ends  their 
state  of  pr(;bation,  have  their  new  moral  character  es- 
talished  good,  perfecdy  and  for  ever  good  ;  and  will  at 
the  proper  time,  receive  a  cn-responding  governniental 
treatment,  which  is  everlabting  happiness,  according  t® 
the  law  of  faith. 

But  those  who  do  not  repent,  nor  become  ingrafted 
into  Christ,  during  their  probation,  will,  at  their  death 
which  ends  their  probation,  have  their  former  bad  moral 
cliaracter  decided  bad  forever,  according  to  their  ov/a 
personal  bad  conduct,  which  agrees  exactly  with  the  bad 
conduct  of  Adam.  And  will  deserve  a  corresponding 
p-overn mental  treatment  agreeing  with  their  own  pers  ^n- 
al  conduct  and  character,  as  well  as  with  Adam's,  which 
is  everlasting  punishment,  according  to  the  law  of 
works. 

N  .  Then  it  appears  that  aH  mankind  have  two  states 
®f  probatit.m ;  one,  in  Adam,  under  the  law,  and  the 
<j)tlier  personally,  under  the  gospel.  The  first  decides, 
with  what  sort  of  moral  character  they  begin  in  the 
world;  and  the  last  decides,  with  what  sort  of  moral 
eharacter  they  leave  the  world.  And  both  shew  what 
\vill  be  the  governmental  treatment  tliey  deserve,  a  id 
"^Vill  cret,  when  the  screa'  freneral  court  sits,  and  the  iudo;^ 
p)-ji;ou.  ces  tVic  sentence- of  the  \?.\v. 

A.  Yes.  And  in  both  states  of  probation,  they  have 
|iad  t  ;e  mo^!:  favourable  trial,  which  the  nature  of  the 
-ef.se  v\ouiw  possibly  admit. 

N.  L.  I  •..:  a  k  you, — what  kind  of  a  character  does 
a  ^miuaii  vSu^^t.iiUj  between  the  time  of  his  becoming 


65 

.jiiited  to  Christ  r^s  a   christian,   and   his  death,  whicl^- 
ends  hiS  probation? 

A.  Why,  strictlv,  it  is  only  a  kind  or  nii^it  character,,' 
partly  g"V)d,  partly  bad,  undeiined,  and  not  known  in  law. 
Il  is  not  a  determined,  established  le2;al  character,  defin- 
ed and  ickn  owl  edge',  either  under  law,  or  (gospel. 

N.  Then  a  j^overn mental  character  is  one,  that  is  de- 
ter •^.lii'^d ,  and  established,  so  as  that  it  may  be  defined, 
k;iown,  and  acknow^ledg-ed  in  law,  or  gospel,  or  both  ;  in 
order  that  the  law  niay, proportion  out,  an  exact  corre- 
spondent i^overnmental  treatment. 

A.  Yes.  And  without  this  legal  precision  of  govern- 
mental character,  there  would  be  an  endless  confusion 
of  character  and  governmental  treatment;  or  else  n© 
,o"overnmental  treatment  at  all. 

N.  T  sen,  if  the  christian  character  should  continue 
forever,  a  nixt  character  and  i  noerfect,  so  n^ii  nes  3^0  id, 
and  sometimes  bad,  like  it  is  from  the  time  he  first  be- 
comes connected  with  Christ,  until  death  ends  his  state 
of  privation;  what  sort  of  governmental  treatment 
wouTcFne  get,  under,  and  according  to  the  prinjioles  of 
the  present  Divitie  government? 

A.   His  case  u^ould  be  somevvdrat  like  Eve's  case,  be- 
fore  Adam  sinned.     He  could  not    be   rewarded   "/itli 
everlasting  happiness,  according  to  law,  as  a  perfectly 
holy  creature  ;  nor  punished   with   everlasting  nunish- 
nlent,  which  the  law  threatens  to  a  perfectly  siofu)  crea- 
tu'e;   nor  pardonei  a;id  saved    with  an  evirlasti'^i.^   sah 
vation,  which  the  gospel  promises  to  all  ihat  will  re]>-nit, 
and  become  perfectly  holy;  as    they  all   will  be,  when 
their    character  is  established   at    their   deatli,     voich 
ends  their  state  of  probatio'i.     In   shorr,    he   w  nid  not 
be  known  in  law,  with  such  a  character;  and  cmld    v.ot 
be  tri;ited*as  a  citizen,  or  subject  of  the.   Divine  i^ov^rn 
ment. 

N.   Then  what  sort  of  a  g  ■vernnicntal  regulation  are 
christians  under,  in  this  w^na? 

F 


6« 

A.  All  mankind  are,  vv.l  will  02  u'l'ler  a  j^'overn  meni- 
al re-i^ukitian,  Cilled  a  reorieve,  until  they  ars  trie  1,  at  t'le 
great  j^eneral  court,  or  julgment.  I  will  say  mare  about 
xhis  renrive,  in  another  place. 

N.  But  does  not  the  moral  law  threaten  eternal  piin : 
ishment  to  the  sinner,  if  he  commits  one  sin,  even  if  he 
should  ever  after  be  perfectly  holy?  Except  he  should 
ibe  pardoned  according  to  the  gospel. 

A.  No.  No  more  than  it  promises  eternal  hapninesf. 
to  the  holy  person,  who  does  but  one  good  thing,  and 
never  does  another.  If  it  did,  its  threatenings,  and 
promises  vv'ould  be  contrary  to  one  another. 

N.  Then  what  does  this  passage  mean ; — Cursed  is 
every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things  written  in  the 
book  of  the  law,  to  do  them? 

A.  It  means,  that  if  a  person,  under  the  moral  law,  be 
not  a  keeper  of  the  law,  in  all  things  perfectly  ;  that  he 
is  a  transgressor  of  the  law,  in  all  things  perfectly,  and^ 
of  course,  under  the  curse  of  that  law. 

N.  Does  not  the  moral  law  threaten  eternal  punish- 
ment to  all  Adam's  posterity,  purely  on  account  of  Ad- 
am's committing  the  first  sin,  even  before  they  commit- 
ted any  sin? 

A.   What  is  that! — Do  explain  yourself  more  fully. 

N.  Well,  was  not  Adam's  first  sin,  imputed  to  his 
posterit}'-,  in  such  a  sense,  as  that  they  ail  should  be 
guilty  of  original  sin,  even  before  they  committed  ac- 
tual sin ;  and  did  not  the  lavv  ^'iew,  and  consider  them 
sinners,  guilty  of  original  sin,  even  oefore  they  comniit- 
ed  any  actual  sin ;  and  did  not  the  law  threaten  them 
with  eternal  punishment,  on  account  of  that  original 
sin,  or  sin  cf  .\da  n  imputed  to  them,  even  before  they 
Iiad  done  any  wrong  themselves? 

And  if  they  ever  be  christians,  must  they  not  repent 
cf  that  original  sin,   or  sin  of  Adapt,  thus  imp,uted  to 
ih.em,  as  v/ell  as  of  their  ovrn  actual  sins,  befjre  they  can 
be  i^ardoned  and  saved? 


A.  ^Vhy,  brother  N.  That  would  be  a  most  outmc;-- 
■tous  Min  )'3sitio'i,  or  fiotioiiof  la.v,  sure  enough.  It 
would  be  beo':^iu^  th?  question  a!t os^^ther.  Tt  would  be 
taking,  for  graiited,  the  very  point  in  question,  whick 
oui^ht  to  , be  proved,  in  law;  but  which  could  not  be 
proved,  because  it  was  not  true.  The  truth  is,  the  law- 
supposes  all  the  subjects  innocent,  until  they  are  proved 
sruiliv.  And  it  is  true,  that  thev  are  innocent,  until  th^v 
become  sinners,  and  |:^uilty,  if  they  exist  at  all)  as  .\la;u 
and  Eve  did,  before  they  beco  ne  sinners,  and  guilty. 
N  i.v  if  the  law  sh  vjld  suopise  t'lem  sinners,  and  gniU)', 
before  they  really  were  so,  vvhich  must  be  the  case,  if  they 
are  sapoosed  sinners,  befn'e  they  do  con  nit  aviy  sin  of 
their  own,  the  law  would  not  only  contradict  itself ;  but  it 
would  also  supnose  a  falsehood,  and  that  on  the  very 
point  on  which  their  destruction  depended. 

The  trutli  is,  it  would  have  been  less  dishonourable 
to  God^  and  to  the  law  and  ^-overnment,  to  have  pun- 
ished then,  without  any  reference  to  moral  character  at 
all,  than  to  suppose  them  sinners  and  guilty,  when  the)- 
really  were  not,  anl  then  to  punish  th-rni  on  that  legal 
suppossitioi,  which  is  s>  directly  contrary  to  the  very" 
nature  of  all  fictior.s  of  lavv. 

And  if  the  gososl  should  require  a  person  to  repent 
of  a  sin,  which  he  n^ver  conniitted;  it  would  be  even 
more  absurd,  than  the  lav/  which  would  condemn  hi;iL 
for  it.  For  it  would  be  requiring  him  to  do  a  things 
which  he  could  not  oossihly  d ),  even  if  he  were  to  suf- 
fer eternal  punishment  f:)r  not  doing  it.  T  assure  you 
friend  N.  the  whobj  supposition  represents  a  wretched 
adantation  of  character  to  the  £rovernmenf,  and  of  ffov- 
ernment  to  the  character.  Aod  there  is  no  truth  in  it. 
For  the  sou'  that  sin^eth,  it  shaii  die." 

N.  '\^ei',is  not  the  mature  of  Adam's  nosterity  cor- 
rurt-^^,  in  a  n^^ora!  Ee[ice,th;\  ugh  tlieir  c^v-  -^'xion  with 
hi  a,  even  before  they  are  able  to  co::i,-:'..'.i  outward 
sins? 


A.  Yes.  and  afterward  t  )o,  in  the  sense  and  wa\ 
stated  above.  F  )r  they  are  all  like  hi>n  nature,  moral 
chariicter,  and  i^oyern mental  tr^^atment. 

N.  But  is  not  this  corrupt  nature,  of  his  posteritv, 
origir.al  sin? 

A.  N  ; ;  it  h  Mnly  a  bitter  stream,  of  the  same  nature 
of  llic  biilei-  f  unf.iin  that  '^ent  it  forth.  Adam's  first 
sin  is  nrjj^'inal  si  ),,andno  other. 

N.  T'lien,  if  you  will  liave  the  f:aibjects,  and  their 
cliaracter,  so  well  ydapted  to  the  government,  and  the 
g-werninent  t)  them;  and  their  governmental  treat- 
ment so  accurately  proporti  3ned^  and  adapted  to  tlieir 
cliaracter.  Let  me  ask  ; — Is  there  as  much  certaint)-, 
that  all,  who  become  connected,  or  united  to  Christ, 
fihall  have  their  ni  ••ral  character  established  good,  attlie 
end  <if  their  state  of  probation,  according  to  his  gMoI 
character;  as  theve  was,  that  they,  v/ho  were  connected 
w'ith  Adam,  would  have  their  character  established  by^ 
and  ac'ordino;  to  his  character? 

A.  Yes.  "F'lr  as  by  one  man's  disobedience  many 
were  made  •dinners;  so  by  the  obedience  of  one  sTiall 
many  be  maderighter-us."  "And  if,  when  we  ^vere  ene- 
mirs,  we  w  re  reconciled  to  G  k1,  by  the  death  of  his 
son-;  much  nore  i^eing  reconciled;  we  shall  be  saved  I)  y 
his  life,"  A'thiugh  the  connexicm  between  Adam  and 
liip  f^t  ally  is,  and  was  a  natural  connexion,  v/hich  exist- 
ed bf-tween  him  and  the  whole  family  ;  and  the  connex- 
ion, betvveen  Chist  and  believers,  is  a  spiritual  connex- 
ion, which  exists,  not  between  him  and  the  while  family 
of  Adam,  bu"^  between  him  and  believers  only,  who  are 
ingrafted  into  Cldrst;  Yet  Christ's  character  was,  a  id 
Is  iis  really  the  oattern  for  the  character  of  belie vers^ 
when,  their  character  shall  be  established  at  the  end  of 
their  probati!)n  ;  as  Adam's  character,  after  he  sinned,  was 
really  and  truly  the  pattern  of  the  character  'if  his  family. 

/\.    t    ''v-;  J  is  as   mufh  absolute  ce>-'       ty*  that  each, 
]  Ctv.  15,  475—49,      1.  John    3.  f.,S,     Rum.    8.  Q9. 


and  every  individual  of  the  ijii'iian  family,  that  does  be. 
com-"  ii'.iJt^dt )  Christ  by  a  living  faith,  sh.iil,  at  the  end 
of  their  probation,  have  their  character  establised  un- 
alterbly  good,  like  his  c'laricter ;  as  there?  is  absolute 
certaintv,  that  the  character  of  A  lan's  family,  has  heeia 
estalolished  bad,  like  Adam's  character  was,  after  he  had 
si  lined. 

N.  Are  there  not  a  number  of  bible  passages,  that 
■appear  to  cor.tradict  t^iis  representatinri? 

A  There  may  be  a  number,  that  appear  so  to  you,  or 
io  others,  for  ought  I  can  tell.  But  I  assure  you,  there 
is  not  one,  long  ir  short,  ^lat  apoears  so  to  nie.  And  if 
you  would  pav  strict  attention,  vou  might  see  tliat  all 
such  passages  are  speaking  about  S3  ne  other  thing,  and. 
iiot  intending  to  contradict  this  representation. 

N.  Why  were  cherubims,  and  a  flaming  sword,  v^hick 
•turned  every  way,  oUiced  so  as  to  keep,  or  guard  the 
way  of.  the  tree  of  life ;  after  Adam  was  turned  out  of 
the  garden? 

A.  tt  was  to  prevent  Adam,  and  all  the  family,  after 
their  character  was  established,  by  his  eating  of  the  f)r- 
foiden  tree,  Irorn  taking,  and  eating  of  the  tree  of  life^ 
■and  thereby  living  forever,.  These  two  trees  ^vere  plac- 
ed at  the  end  of  the  state  of  probation  of  toe  whole 
faiiily,  f^tr  Adam  represented  the  whole  f:i  nily.  And 
the  moral  character  of  the  wlK)le  fam'-y,  was  to  be  de- 
eided,  and  establislied  good,  )r  bad,  according  to  the  '^\q, 
©r  the  other  of  these  tvvo  trees,  of  which  he  c  m' 1  'lave 
ea^en.  But  if  they  had  been  allowed  t)  eat  -»l  a  ly  oae 
of  these  two  trees,  and  th^n,  the  other;  their  m  /al 
character  would  have  been  still  undeci  'e  1,  anl  .inesiab" 
lished,  as  much  as  it  was  before  .'Idivn  eat  ;("  cit -er  tree, 
"Therefore  in  order  to  have  their  mor-'l  cha  •aci:er  I  eided, 
•and  established  good,  or  bad,  it  u^as  abs-,^hii:ely  wise,  and 
necessary,  after  ^daai  eat  of  ooe  ■..['  t'^e  t  vo  trees,  tuat 
the  other  tree  should  De  elFectuaii^  guarded,  lO  prevent 


ooth  Ad^rriy  and  all  the  fainiiy,  from  eating  of  the  otner 
tree. 

Wherefore   if  Adam  had  eaten  of  the   tree  of  life,  it 
would  have   been  as  wise,   and   necessa.'y   to  ^uard  the 
tree  of  death;  as  it  was,  to  guard   the  tree   of  life,    after 
Adam  had  eaten  of  the  tree  of  death,  or  the  forbidde» 
tree.     Otherwise  there  \yould  have  been  a  continual  con  - 
fusion,  and  inconsistency,  and  instability  of  character,  if 
they  had  been  allowed  to  take  and  eat  of  any  one  of  the 
two  trees,  and  then,    the  other,   as  the}'-  pleased-      And 
also  there  would  have  been  a  perpetual  clashing  betweea 
the  promises  of  eternal  life,  anc^  the  threatenin^s  of  eter- 
sal  death,  which  the  moral  law  promised  in  favour    of 
those,  who  keep  the   law,  and  threatened  against  those, 
who  transgress  it.     F  )r  there  would  be  as  much  propri- 
Gty  in  the  law  fnlfiliing   its  promises,  in  rewarding   ^')id 
actions;  as  in  fulfilling  its  threatenings,  by  punishing  bad 
actions.     But,  whereas,  their  former  goodness  could  not 
ha^'e   been   remembered  to    them,  or  any  ol  them,  after 
they  had  done   evil;  so  their    f)r  ner  wickedness  could 
not  have  been  remembered,  or  punishment  awarded  to 
them,,  or  any  of  them,  after  thev  had  done  good.  W'lere- 
fore  thev  could  not  have  been  treated  as  subjects  in  the 
government,  for  the  want  of  an   established,  identified., 
]ep;al  character.     Wherefore  it  was  absolutely  necessarx" 
that  their  moral  character  should  be  decid  xl,  established, 
and  identified,  as  a  legal  character,  so  as  to  be  known  in 
iaw;  and  so  that  the  law  might  measure   out  a  due  pro- 
portionate, and  adequate    governmental   treatment,  co  r- 
respondent  to  their  moral  character.     And  this   would 
be  a   wise   adaptation  of  chanicter,   to  the  government, 
and  nf  government,  to  the  character. 

Aid  the  cheruoims,  with  a  flaming  sword  turning  eve- 
ry wav,  to  v/aich,  and  keep,  or  gu  ird  'rh«  way  of  the  tree 
of  life,  or  gua;.d  ' 'T:e  passage  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  pre- 
vent  any  Qi"  the  f;.i:nily,  after  A  la  n  had  rdz-'.n  of  tli:i  o-hei' 
1«ree,  from  takmg,  and  eating  of  the  tree  of  life,  and  li 


ying  forever,  tire  a  beautiful,  stron*,  and  apptopriate  i*e 
presentation  of  that  decision,  and  establi.shiii::nt  of  m  )ral 
eharacter;  and   that  adaptation  of  character,  to  the  gQ- 
vernment,  and  of  government,  to  the  character. 

And  now  brother  N.  seeini^  that  God,  in  his  infinite 
wisdom  and  goodness,  has  taken  s6  mnch  care  to  adapt 
the  subjects  and  their  character  to  the  government;  we 
niight  expect,  tliat  the  saaie  v»-isdora  and  goodness  of 
G  od,  would  adapt  an  infinit^'ly  perfect  p;o^'e^^■ment  to 
the  subjects,  and  to  their  character.  And  this  he  certain- 
ly has  done,  f<r  tlic  great  good  of  mankind,  and  the  uni- 
verse. And,  although  after  Adam  had  eaten  of  the  for- 
bidden tree,  his  eves  were  open  to  see  his  nakedness; 
yet  if  his  eyes  had  not  been  shut,  to  the  wisdom  an  '  good- 
ness of  God,  Adam  might  have  been  led  to  expect,  that 
God  had  in  viev/,  some  exceedingly  great  good  for  him, 
ard  the  human  family.  And  whereas  Adam  and  Eve 
had  both  sinned,  and  thereby  had.  come  under  the  threa- 
ten! ngs  of  the  law,  which  they  had.  transgressed,  it  would 
have  been  very  inconsistent  with  the  penalty,  or  threa- 
ieninp;s  of  the  law,  to  have  made  any  promise,  of  any 
good  thing  ¥/hatever  to  Adam  anrl  Eve,  while  they  re- 
mained impenitent,  yet  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God 
was  manifested  in  some  degree,  by  intimating;  some  great 
good  to  mankind,  bv  way  of  a  threat  to  the  serpent.  "And 
'''I  will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the  wornan,  and  be- 
"tween  thy  seed  and  her  seed;  it  shall  bruise  thy  head, 
"and  thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel." 

Here  God  threatened  the  overthrow  of  the  kingdom  of 
the  serpent,  by  setting  up  and  extending  the  gospel  of 
Christ,  in  and  over  our  fallen,  and  giiihy  -world.  This 
very  threat,  implied  that  the  serpent,  or  Satan  was  a  friend 
to  all  mischief,  and  an  enemy  of  all  good.  And  to  bruise 
his  head,  was  to  disappoint  him  in  the  m.ain  objects  of 
his  mJschievous  ambition,  bv  making  this  \ery  sin  of 
Adam  and  of  his  ■'amiiy,  which,  Satan  had  helned  to  bring 
about  for  th^ir  utter  destiuctioii^  the   yery  occasion,  of 


72 

bringing  into  use  a  grand  and  glorious  part  of  the  s}  itetu 
of  divine  law,  ihe  law  of  faith,  or  gospe!  of  Christ,  which 
otherwise  mi^rht  nave  ay  concealed  forever  in  the  rnind 
of  G^)d.  And-  by  building  up  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in 
this  fallan  v/ -n-M,  in  such  a  wdv  as  to  brii^  out  'nuch 
more  glory  t)  G  id,  and  h';hnc5s  and  happniess  m  the 
o-  •.vern;"nent,  than  CAi'-i  have  been  br  <u;»:ht  ;ut,  if  Satan 
had  not  succee:led  so  far  a.b  to  induce  Adaii  and  his  fa^ 
mily  to  ^"in.  For  \  "hri -t  cam-.-  i  ito  the  world  to  saye  sin- 
ners. While  on  the  i.:ther  !ra!i';'.,  this  success  of  Satan, 
bad  orv.'iclced  as  it  was,  was  ')f  i:>ut  htde  i  nportance  to 
to  because,  like  b"ui>i;-.g  the  heel;  when  compared  to 
j^e  vast  advantages  arising  from  tlie  kingdom  of  Christ 
in  the  world.  The  law-  which  Adam  transgressed,  was 
that  part  of  t'le  system  of  divine  law,  t^vat  was  given, 
for  tiie  use  and  advantage  .of  the  inn):eit;  and  con- 
sidered all  innocent,  until  they  were  proved  guilty.  Rut 
the  gospel,  or  law  ^>f  faith  is  that  part  of  the  system  of 
divine  law,  that  was  given,  f)r  the  use  an  1  advanta;^e  of 
sinners,  such  as  were  proved  guilty,  and  condemned  to 
eternal  punishment.  These  two  parts,  with  all  their  ap- 
pendages, form,  or  constitute  a  complete  and  perfect  sys- 
tem of  divine  law,  by  v/hich  both  th -  bad,  and  the  good, 
are  to  be  governed  forever,  on  the  most  perfect  principles 
of  c:overnment. 

o 

And  according  to  the  gracious  provisions  of  the  2:;os- 
pel,  or  law  of  faith,  Adam  and  Eve  might  have  repented., 
ard  believed  in  v,  Saviour  to  come,  and  might  have  beeia 
ii^ed  on  a  n  ucb  more  sure  fcunc'aticn,  than  that  on 
which  they  strod,  before  they  fell. 

N.   Why;  did  not  Adam  fall  from  grace? 

A.  No  Adr.m  fell  fnm  the  deeds  of  the  law;  but  not 
frcn:  the  rigl-tecusness  of  faith  in  Christ. 

A.  d  while  Satsr,  E\e,  and  Adam  meant  it  for  evil; 
Gc(  n  <  ant  it  f <  i  g(  <  d.  Ard  it  is  truly  wonderful,  lio\v, 
cut  cf  'he  daiktst  ]  ic^]  ects  ct  deiih,  ai  d  eicrnal  ruiuj, 
God  ;,has^  biought  Ine,  ana  immortaiit}    to  lit^ht  in  the 


^v)spel.  And  we  inay  feel  convinced  that  all  wicked 
plans  devised  to  defeat  the  counsels,  and  purposes  of 
God,  ^^ill  meet  with  no  better  success.  But  will  be  so 
o^  er  ruled,  as  to  bruise  the  head  of  the  projectors ; 
while  they  shall  not,  so  much  as,  bruise  tlie  heel  of  the 
divine  ^'overnment.  But  all  things  shall  work  together 
for  good,  to  them  that  love  God.  So  wonderful  are  his 
counsels,  and  his  ways  past  finding  out. 


(D'Dir^ii^^iii?!!©^  ^c 


Causation  of  moral  good,  and  evil. 

Friend  ^f.  what  has  been  said  in  the  foreig^oina:  con- 
\ersation,  about  the  establishment  of  character,  and  the 
necessity  there  is  for  a  legal  character  to  be  made  cer- 
tain, that  it  may  be  identified  and  known  in  law,  seems  to 
be  true,;  and  yet  my  mind  labours  under  some  difficulties, 
which  I  vv'ould  like  to  have  removed,  if  possible. 

I  cannot  think  that  it  was  a  mere  accidental  matter, 
that  Adam  eat  of  the  forbidden  tree,  instead  of  eating 
of  the  tree  of  life.  It  seems  that,  before  Adam  eat  of 
either  of  those  trees,  it  was  as  certain  he  v/ould  eat  of 
the  forbidden  tree,  as  it  was  certain  his  character  w; raid 
be  established  by  eating^  of  it.  I  wish  you  to  shew  me, 
wlvcit  was  the  particular  first  ^^anse  of  Adam  eating  of 
that  tree  ;  and  how  it  was  made  certain,  or  how  it  was 
brought  about,  that  he  did  certainly  eat  of  that  tree,  and 
not  the  other;  and  how  his  character  was  established 
bad,  under  law,  with  so  much  certainty,  that  it  will  for- 
ever be  the  same  bad  character;  except  it  shall  be  alter- 
ed by  the  Divine  Spirit,  as  a  distinct  agent? 

A.  Brother  N.  it  is  very  desirable,  indeed,  that  we 
shf  uld  understand  these  points  satisfinctorily. 

But  in  order  that  you  may  see  them  clearly,  it  will  be 
as  necessary  for  you  to  have  eyes  to  see,  ears    to  hear, 

Q 


^4: 

\nd  a  heart  to  understand  tnem,  as  it  will  be  for  me  to 
represent  them  iahly.  And  unless  you  are  truly  pre- 
pared, and  honestly  disposed  to  look  into  these  pair  ts, 
h  will  be  perfectly  in  vain  for  me  to  try  to  represent 
.iiem  to  you,  in  such  away,  as  tb.at  you  will  understiaid 
o  em.  These  are  points  very  u  ell  calculated  to  try  the 
hu  nan  heart,  and  head  also.  And  yet,  I  think,  they 
may  be  understood,  to  a  considerable  degree  of  certain- 
ly and   satisfaction. 

I  suppos©' you  will  agree,  that  no  event,  great  or 
.'■mall,  ever  did,  or  ever  will  take  place,  just  of  itself, 
iioofje  producing  it.  And  therefore,  if  there  had  ever 
bee;-!  a  ]!erir;d  when  nothing  existed,  there  v.ould  have 
been  nothing  yet.  And  if  there  had  ever  been  a  per- 
iod, vrhen  there  was  no  God,  there  never  would  have 
been  u  Gf)d.  Wherefore  all  things  ihat  have  had  a  be- 
girnir.g,  or  that  may  hereafter  have  a  beginning,  m.ust, 
in  some  v.ay  or  other,  be  dependant,  for  their  existei^ce, 
on  that  infinitely  great  Being,  vrho  had  no  be^^ming. 
And,  in  my  view,..it  is  a  degree  of  atheism,  to  suppose 
that  any  tiling  whatever,  has  taken  place  independai.tlj' 
of  Divine  causation.  And,  consequently,  I  understand 
that  the  Divine  B'=^:ing  must  have  been,  in  some  way, 
u  e  first  cause  of  Adam  eating  of  that  particular  tree, 
instead  of  the  other. 

But  in  order  to  understand  how  he  caused  Adam  to 
gat  of  that  tree;  and  how  he  is  the  first  cause  of  evil : 
let  us  enquire  hov/  he  mi,^ht  have  caused  Adam  to 
cat  cf  the  tree  of  life  ;  and  how  he  is  the  first  cause 
qf  good. 

I  suppose  yen  will  agree,  that  tlie  Divine  Being  is  the 
ilisi  cau^e  of  gocd,  morally  good  velitif^ns. 

But  HE  is  the  first  cause  of  morally  evil  volitir  ns,  on 
tlie  same  principle,  that,  he  is  the  fiist  cause  ci  mcrally 
g(fc  ries.     Ard  it  is  just  as  easy  to  understand  c,ne 
ide,  as  the  other. 

r/.n:r.e   ciealivc   agency,   at  firrt,  gave  being  to  the 


15  ■ 
man,  and  the  same  Divine  agency  continued,  is  provi- 
denliai  a-^ency,  which  continues  the  man  i'  !:.eini^,  with  all 
his  mculties  and  volitions,  as  a  man.  Bat  this  Divine 
ag^acy,  which  13  the  dire -t  cause  of  th^  nii,  and  all 
his  Tacukies,  and  volitions,  has  no  more  reference  to-  the 
moral  goodness,  than  to  the  moral  badness  of  his  heart,  or 
vohtions.  In  fact  this  common  Divine  agencv,  which 
is  equally  concerned  in  causing  a  hi-Tse,  as  in  causing 
a  man;  has  no  reference  to  moral  character  at  all.  For 
the  man  might  have  been  a  man,  without  having  any 
moral  character  at  all,  good,  or  bad.  For  where  there 
is  no  law,  there;  is  no  transgression.  "If  there  had  been 
no, law,  there  would  have  been  no  mor«j.l  goodness,  not 
moral  evil ;  or  no  moral  character  at  all.  For  as  sin  is 
the  transgression  of  the  law  ;  so  moral  goodness  is  keep  • 
iny-  the  law.  But  if  there  had  been  no  moral  laweiven,  to 
be  either  kept  or  broke,  there  would  have  been  no  mor- 
al character  at  all,  good  or  bad.  And  yet  there  might 
liave  been  a  man,  with  all  his  faculties,  as  well  his  voli- 
tions, or  choices,  as  all  other  faculties.  An  d  also  all  objects 
of  choice  mig-ht  have  been  made,  if  there  had  been  no 
law  given,  the. same  as  they  were  under  the  law.  All 
the  trees  of  the  srarden,  with  all  their  fruit,  mis-ht  have 
be^n  made.  The  tree  of  life,  and  the  tree  of  the  knowl- 
edge of  good  and  evil  also.  And  Adam  might  hav;^> 
sat  of  iill  the. trees  of  the  garden,  without  doing  morally 
right  or  wrong,  if  there  had  been  no  moral  law.  And 
it  made  no  diiierence  w 1 10  presented  the  objects  01 
choice,  or  fruit;  \^hether  the  Divine  Bemg,  or  Satan,  or 
■who  else.  i£,ven  making  the  trees,  and  fruit,  d.-'.d  placing 
tiiem  in  the  presence  of  Adam,  was  a  presentation  of 
the  objects  of  eiioice  ;  and  tnis  presentation  of  toe  )0- 
jects  of  choice,  vv'as  certainly  made  by  the  Divine  B  ;ing. 
An  object  of  choice  must  be  presented  in  such  a  way> 
as  that  It  can  be  chosen,  or  else  it  is  not  properly  pre- 
sented. 

But  the  Di sine  Being  might  have  been  the    caii'ic  ^■' 


the  maw,  with  all  his  choices ;  and  might  have  callssi 
all  the  trees  of  the  garden,  with  all  their  fruit,  as  ob- 
jects of  choice  ;  and  might  have  presented  'Ml  the  ob- 
jects of  choice,  in  such  a  way  that  all,  or  any  of  the 
fruit  .night  have  been  certainly  chosen  and  eaten;  and 
yet  if  there  had  been  no  law,  the  man  would  have  been 
neirher  holy  nor  unholy;  for  he  would  have  had  no  mor- 
al ciiaracter  at  all.  And  the  Divine  agencv  might  have 
caused  the  man  to  exist,  with  all  his  volitions,  and  all 
the  trees  of  the  garden,  with  all  their  fruit,  and  he  might 
have  presented  all,  or  any  of  the  objects  of  choice., 
which  ever  he  pleased,  in  such  a  way  that  any  one 
should  be  certainly  taken,  instt-ad  of  any  other;  and  no 
one  would  ever  have  found  fault  with  him,  for  it.  No'»xf 
let  us  say  t^tat  in  fact,  the  Divine  Being,  not  only  caused 
the  man,  with  all  his  volitions,  and  all  the  objects  of 
choice,  and  presents  every  object,  or  any  object  as  he  plea- 
ses, through  the  understanding,  to  the  heart,  in  such  a 
way  that  whatever  object  he  pleases  will  be  certainly 
chosen  ;  but  that  also  he  gives  a  law,  that  is  holy,  just^ 
and  good,  which  law  says  to  the  man,  "of  all  the  trees 
of  the  garden  thou  mayest  freely  eat;  but  of  the  tree  of 
the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  thou  shait  not  eat  of 
it;  for  in  the  day  tliou  eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  surely 
die."  Gen.  2.  16—17..  And  then  for  which  of  these 
good  works,  shall  vi^e  find  fault  with  him? 

As  far  as  I  understand,  this  is  all  he  does,  in  the  case 
feefore  us.  And  all  the  choices,  that  take  the  objects 
which  the  law  allows,  are  morally  good  choices  ;  and  all 
the  choices,  that  take  the  objects,  which  the  law  forbids, 
are  morally  bad  choices. 

And  the  Divine  agency  is  as  really  the  first  cause  of 
the  man's  moral  goodness,  and  m  )rai  evii;  as  he  is  the 
first  cause  of  the  man,  and  his  volitions,  or  the  objects 
m  ehoice  :  or  of  the  certain  presentation  of  the  objects 
@f  choice  r  but  he  is  not  the  cause  of  the  moral  g)  )d,  or 
fhe  moral  evil  e:iactly  in  the  same  sense,  that  ke  is  the 


QLiiiJie  of  the  others.  He  is  the  etiiise  oi*  the  man,  and 
1h!S  volitions,  8cc.  in  a  direct' way ;  but  he  is  the  cause 
of  moral  pjood,  and  moral  evi],^iii  an  indirect  way. 

It  is  true  that  Satan,  and  Eve  had  a  hand  in  present^ 
ino"  the  object,  or  apnle  to  Adam  ;  but  it  made  no  differ-- 
ence  who  presented  the  object.  Sdtan  and  Eve  were? 
instruments  in  the  Divine  hand,  employed  for  the  cer-' 
tain  fall  of  Ada  n  ;  as  the  lyin^  spirit  was  emoliyed  for 
■the  certain  fall  of  Ahab  Kn^^of  Isreal.  1.  K^ao;.  22.  19,23** 

But  weare  n.>t  to  understand  that  the  Divine  agency- 
is  the  cause  of  moral  £^ood,  or  moral  evil  in  the  same 
ssnse,  that  he  is  the  cause  of  the  nan  and  all  his  volitions^ 
for  if  he  was,  then  moral  good,  and  moral  evil  would  be 
exactlv  the  same  where  there  is  no  law,  that  they  woulfi 
be,  where  there  is  a  law:  alth  )ugh  he  is  as  really  the  fir^ 
cause  of  the  one,  as  of  the  other. 

For  if  he  had  not  'nade  the  man  and  the  objects,  thea 
the  objectsc  )ul  1  not  have  been  chosen  ;  and  if  he  hal 
not  given  the  law,'' there  w^ould  have  been  no  moral  good, 
nor  moral  evil,  even  if  the  objects  had  been  chosen^ 
And  if  he  had  not  presented  the  objects,  in  the  exac^ 
•way,  time,  and  place,  there  would  have  been  no  certain- 
•ty  which  object  might  be  chosen;  and,  consequently^ 
no  certainty  of  legal  character.  But  it  is  in  this  way^ 
''he  fashioneth  their  hearts  alike."  '  Psal.   33^;'  15. 

Guarding  the  tree  of  life,  after  Adam  had  eaten  of  the 
forbidden  tree,  proves  this.  Wherefore,  under  the  lavv^ 
the  certainty,  of  an  established,  legal  character,  depend- 
ed on  the  certain  presentation  of  the  objects  adapted  t© 
th-it  character,  whether  good,  or  bad:  For  it  is  certain^ 
from  what  has  been  said  above,  that  w^hichever  object, 
was  properly,  piesented,  would  be  certainly  chosen. 

N.  Whv  then  may  not  a  proper  presentation  of  the 
obj  ct,  b-  L^;;fScient,  and  all  that  is  necessary,  under  the 
gospel,  for  converting  a  sinner  to  Christianity. 

A.  The  punciples,  above  laid  down,  hold  good,  mi' 
(Jer  the  law  J  but  u.ider  the   gospel,  for  convertings 

e    2 


i^nner  to  cliristianity,  God  thought  proper  to  make  * 
different  arraa.^e.nent.  Ft  ha-^  been  made  the  peculiar 
w.-rk  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  a  distinct  a^ent,  to  conv^erl 
sinners.  In  which  work,  the  H  ,«ly  Spirit,  not  only 
pr.  sent s  the  proper  objects  ;  but  as  a  cause,  he  also  di- 
rects the  heart,  or  choice  to  the  objects,  with  a  certaint}' 
equal  to  that,  with  which  he  presents  the  objects  to 
the  heart. 

But  the  common  agency  of  God,  which  is  the  cause 
of  the  man,  with  all  his  voliti  )ns,  or  heart,  or  will,  does 
not  direct  the  heart,  or  will,  or  volitions  to  any  one  ob- 
ject, more  than  another. 

Wherefore  the  conversion,  and  salvation  of  a  sinner, 
is  made  much  more  satisfacti'^ily  certain,  by  thi  H.  Ay 
Sj)irit  presenting  the  proper  objects  to  the  heart,  with  a 
certainty ;  and  with  an  equal  certainty,  directi'ij^  the 
heart  to  the  proper  objects,  than  it  could  have  been,  by 
barely  presenting  the  objects. 

N.  Suppose  the  Divine  common  agency  vv^as  barely 
to  cause  the  man  to  exist,  without  causing  his  volitions  ; 
but  just  leave  the  man  to  choose,  and  refuse  of  himself; 
might  not  a  bare  presentation,  of  the  objects  of  choice, 
be  sufficient,  in  all  the  cases  stated  above? 

A.  In  my  view,  that  su])position  is  perfectly  absurd  ■ 
It  supposes  a  man,  or  moral  agent  might  exist,  v/ithout 
anv  volitions,  or  choices  ;  which  is  not  true.  For  if  it 
were  possible  for  a  man,  or  moral  agent  to  exist  at  all^. 
without  a  volition,  or  choice,  or  choosing ;  then  he 
might  be  a  man,  or  moral  agent  forever,  without  a  voli- 
tion, or  choice,  or  choosing  ;  and  then  he  never  would 
choose,  or  refuse,  and  no  object  would  ever  be  chosen 
by  him,  or  refused,  and  he  v.ould  be  neither  good,  nor 
bad,  but  still  a  man,  or  moraJ  agent.  The  truth  is,  he 
cannot  be  a  man,  or  moral  agent,  without  a,  volition 
or  choice,  or  choosing;  f)r  yolilion,  or  choice,  or  choos- 
ing, is  a  constituent  part  of  the  man,  or  moral  agent,  so 
that  a  man,  or  moral  agent  chooses,  and  refuses,  as  cer- 


79 

tainly  as  he  exists  a  man,  or  m  ")ral  a,^eiit.      For  choosiiig, 
an'l  refusiti^^  are  his  moral  agency. 

N.  '^V; raid  not  a  power,  ^r  caoability,  of  clioosin2;i 
and  refasi'Ti^,  constitute  hi  n  a  moral  agent;  instead  of 
the  clioosing,  and  refusing? 

A.  N]"o,  it  takes  both  to  constitute  hi n  an  agent,  that; 
is,  a  moral  agent.  Both  clioosing,  a^l  refusing  are  mor- 
al actions.  Now  if  a  m  in  had  no  power,  or  caoacirv,  or 
capability  of  choosing,  and  refusing,  he  coul  1  lot 
choose,  or  refuse^  and  would  not  be  a  moral  agent ;  for 
he  wou'd  have  no  moral  agency,  or  moral  action. 

N.  Then  might  nit  a  power,  or  c;i  )acity,  or  caoability 
of  choosing,  and  refusing,  and  of  not  cho-)sing  and  re- 
fusing constitute  a  moral  agent? 

A.  N>,  if  such  an  animal  could  be  made,  yet  power. 
or  caoacity,  or  caoabiiit^^  d oes  'lot  coostitiite  an  agent. 
An  agent  is  one  that  really  does  act. 

But  a  man  or  moral  agent  has  power,  or  capacity,  or 
capability  suHicie at ;  tor  he  really  does  choose,  and  re- 
fuse, aod  that  conti'iually.  Bat  he  has  no  power,  capa- 
city, or  capability  of  not  choosing,  and  refusing;  he 
cannot  cease  to  choose,  and  refuse,  no  not  for  an  instants 
Neither  does  he  need  any  such  power,  or  capacityo 
Whether  a  sleep,  or  awake,  you  have  no  more  power,  or 
ca|)acity  to  cease  from  choosing  and  refusing;  than  vou 
have,  to  cease  to  exist,  or  by  taking  thought,  add  a 
cubit  to  your  stature. 

And  yet  on  your  supposition,  there  would  be  no  cer- 
tainty, that  he  ever  would  choose,  or  refuse  any  object 
whatever. 

What  advantage,  brother  N.  do  you  suppose  ycil 
would  gain,  on  your  supposition? 

N.  I  waited  to  clear  :he  Divine  Being  of  having  any 
hand  ill  causiop- moral  evil;  and  also  I  wanted  to  clear 
hin  of  psrtiahty,  while  some  sinners  are  renewed  and 
saved;   but  not  ali. 

A.  But  he  says, — I  niuke  peace,  and  create  evil,  Isa. 


45.  7.  But  )t>iiare  not  vv-'I'mg  to  have  it  so  ;  hut  yen  wruld 
ro''  hi'n  of  the  creii*  ;^f  so:-ne  of  his  nicest  vvfukirun- 
sbip,  to  wit,  causing  the  hearts,  or  w'llh.,  or  volitions  ot 
■m')ra]  ai^'ents. 

If  ynn-  plan  would  answer  your  purpose  at  all,  if 
would  equally  clear  liim  of  causing  moral  good,  a^^:- 
well  as  moral  evil;  which  is  more  than  you  want.  Y'>ir 
might  as  well  say ;  he  did  not  cause  the  man  ;  or  that 
he  did  not  make,  and  present  the  objects  of  choice  ; 
and  it  would  suit  the  case  better  to  say;  he  did  not  give 
the  law.  F.'.r  if  tliere  had  been  no  law  given,  therc- 
v/onid  have  been  no  transgression.  Bat  you,  and  I  had 
far  better  tr}^  to  u:iderstini,  whit  the  Divine  Being  has 
done,  and  give  him.  credit  for  his  works;  than  to  obj  .'Ct, 
and  say  he  did  not  do  it;  and  particularly  so,  when  the 
objection  does  not  apply  to  the  point  for  which  it  wa^ 
intended. 

And  as  it  respects  partialitv^  in  renewing,  and  saving 
some,  and  not  all ;  it  is  not  partiality,  but  goodness  rhat 
saves  any.  "Know  ye  not,  that  it  is  the  goo^lness  of 
God,  that  leadeth  you  to  repentance."  And  "by  grace 
are  3'e  saved;"   not  partiality. 

Now  if  your  plan  would  clear  the  Divine  Being  of 
Causing  moral  evil;  it  would  equally  clear  him  of  caus- 
ing moral  good.  And  if  it  would  clear  him,  of  yhaf 
y(u  call  partiality  ;  it  would  equally  clear  him,  of  whal 
the  Bible  calls  goodness. 

N.  I  do  not  wish  to  take,  from  him,  any  of  his  good-*- 
ness.  But  I  wanted  to  shew  his  goodness,  by  shewing' 
that  he  d^es  no  more  fr;r  one,  than  for  another;  or  that 
any  difference  made  l^etween  men,  or  sinners^  was  not 
an  intentional  diff-rerce.  But  that  the  H  ^ly  Spir- 
it deals  with  ail  nlike,  abi  near  as  he  can ;  that  he 
present-  the  objects  of  choice  to  all  sinners,  as  near 
equally  as  he  ])ossibly  can,  <:r  as  circumstances  will  ad- 
mit ;and  that  ]'<e  h-is  as  muc li  ir^ei  tion  lo  save  alhas  any 
b'ne;  und  tiiut,  if  all  cU'e  not  saved,  ii  is  because  he   can- 


8i 

not  save  then :  and  for  this  purpose?,  the  Holy  Spirit 
presents  the  -sojects  to  all  sinners,  as  well  as  he  can,  and 

Iqh'  .'sthe  sinners  to  ch  )ose,  aid  refuse.  N)\v  on  this 
plaii,  I  do  a:->t  sa|)o>se  that  all  will  be  saved;  and  the 
Divine  Being,  who  is  infin.itely  wise,  certainly  knoW'S 
v/ho  v.'ill  be  savc"i,  and  who  will  not  be  saved.  Yet 
when  he  has  d  me  all,  he  can  do,  to  save  all,  he  wiH 
seem  to  be  cleared  of  every  thins^  like  partiality. 

A.  Do  v'Mi  think,  brother  N.  that  any  more  could  b!^ 
saved  on  this  plan,  than  on  the  other? 

N.  No. 

A.  vVcvald  th-ose,  that  will  be  saved,  be  any  bette'f- 
sayf^d.  than  they  would  be,  on  the  ether  plan? 

N.  No: 

A.  VVMuId  the  circumstances  of  those  that  are  lo^ij 
be  any  more  favourable? 

N."N'>. 

A.  Then  state,  particularly,  what  you  suppose  may 
be  gained,  on  this  plan,  more  than  would  be  on  the 
other  plan. 

N.  Nothing  more,  than  clearing  the  Divine  Being 
of  all  appearance  of  having  mide  any  mire  differeiice 
between  one  and  another,  than  he  could  help  ;  or  clear- 
ins:  him  of  all  appearance  of  having:  done  wrons:. 

oil  O  o 

A.  I  am  very  far  from  thinkins^;  he  has  done  ani^ 
wrong  ;  but  I  think  he  Jias  done  perfectly  right,  in  do- 
ina:  v/hat  I  have  stated  above. 

But  I  would  agree,  that  after  he  would  have  done  all 
he  could,  he  would  not  be  blamable  for  any  failure  in, 
accomplishing  any  part  of  his  intentions.  Bat,  also, 
so  far  as  he  has  failed,  through  inability,  to  accomplish 
any  of  his  good  intentions,  he  wo'il  i  deserve  no  praise; 
and,  I  suppose,  you  could  neither  blame,  nor  praise  him, 
in  those  points.  But,  at  least,  I  suppose  you  would 
have  acxasion  to  pity  him,  in  his  misfortune,  that  he 
was  not  able  to  accomp-ish  all  his  good  intentions.  ^Jnd 
also,  you  have  occasion  to  fear  that  the  enemy  vviii  pas^ 


82 
by  y:u1  mock,  and    say,  he    begaii  to  build;  but  he  had 
not  >\  berewilh  lo  finish. 

But,  Friend  N,  iu)  advanta.pjc  can.be  gained,  by  suppo- 
sinf.^  the  Divine. B'i'sf^  did  not  cause  the  cb  )(ces  or  voli- 
tions ;  or  by  suppoiiiii;:^^  he  does  .as  much  f  t  all,  as  foi" 
any.  And  that  he  as  much  desisjns  to  sav\^  all,  as  an|r 
one;  and  that  the  reason,  why  he  does  noi  save  all,  is  be- 
cause he  cannot  do  it,  for  tliat  he  does  all  he  can,  to  save 
all,  i:!Ut  cannot  do  it.  I  -ay  there  is  no  advantage  gdned 
by  supposinj^'  all  this.  For  besides,  it  robbing  God  of 
the  credit  of  some  of  his  nicest  workmanship,  and  repre- 
senting hini  as  beivi,^  weak  and  disappohited,  and  not  able 
to  accomplish  all  his  J^ood  purposes,  that  h?  wanted  t© 
accoirplish,  wldch  is  greatly  dishonorinoj  to  God  ;  it 
also  represents  him  as  beino'  very  ia^norant,  in  ru'^nin» 
himself  into  such  difficulties.  Wherein  is  there  any 
wisdom  or  go-^dness,  or  propriety  in  designing,  or  purpo- 
sing to  do,  more  than  he  could  do;  if  he  was  as  wise,  as 
lie  might  have  been,  he  would  have  known  his  own  abil- 
ities ;  he  would  have  known  what  he  could  do,  and  what 
!he  could  not  do;  and  he  never  v/ould  have  purposed  to 
do,  more,  than  he  knew  he  could  do.  Why  did  he  make 
inore  men,  than  he  kne^v  he  could  save?  Surely  he  was- 
'Ss  able  to  not  make  them,  as  lie  v/as,  to  make  them ;  why 
iiien  did  he  make  more,  than  he  knew  he  c  iuld  save. 
•Surely  it  was  neither  wise  nor  good  to  make  them,  know- 
ins;  tiiev  must  come  to  a  bud  end;  seeins^  he  knew  he 
could  not  bring  them  to  any  g>)od  end,  e\-en  after  he  had' 
done  all  lie  could. 

By  not  making  them,  he  would  have  saved  himself, 
from  all  his  labour  in  vam  to  save  them,  while  he  knew 
he  could  not;  and  from  the  disagreeable  necessity  of 
sending  them  to  ruio,  contrary  to  all  his  intenti')ns,  and 
without  any  good  purpose:  and  he  u-ould  have  saved 
his  I'nendb  from  seeing  the  mischief  ihey  do,  and  their 
d;estraCLiOii.  ^vitnoutaiiv  fj-ood  end   beiiii*;  accornpuslied 


^3 

by  it.     And  ulvo,  it  W3uld  ixvi  bfc  no  acccis'on  ^)v  the 
enemy  to  mock. 

N.  But  suppose  all  this  be  admitted;  yet  is  it -not 
better  to  admit  all  of  it,  than  to  ad  nit  he  cans  ^I  :v.',.ral 
evil?  is  not  all  this  a  less  reproach  to  him,  than  ii  w  uld 
be  to  allow  he  caused  moral  evil  to  exist?  of  all  'hiiv^s, 
it  seems  to  me,  this  should  be  the  (Host  to  be  dreaded. 

A.  That  dread,  in  you,  may  arise  from  some  other 
t^jU.irter,    th  m  l.)ve  to  the  truth. 

■  Any  seiui-nent,  v.diatever,  that  does  reallv  reproach 
the  Divine  Being,  even  in  the  least  degree,  nuifu 'v:;  a 
f.i!se  sentiment,  and  ought  not  to  be  admitted  as  true,  or 
believed.  Any  two,  or  ten  th.ousand  sentiments  that 
are  i^^i2,  and  reproachful  to  God,  ought  t  )  be  rejected, 
not  because  one  is  -.yorse  than  another,  but  because  both, 
or  all  are  false. 

I  arlopt  my  plan,  not  barelv  because  I  thi  ik  every 
other  plan,  contrary  to  it,  is  false,  and  reoroachfa^'  to 
Gr:^',  hut  also,  b-scftise  I  think  my  plan  is  reallv  true, 
and  honcurnble  to  God,  ard  consistent  with  the  highest 
gofv'j  of  the  uni'v-erse  IF  I  were  convinced  oth-^rwise, 
I  v;ouM  give  ifun  ;  and  I  would  wish  djI  -"thers  to  rei^c*; 
it  also,  even  if  I  did  not  k'-ow  of  a  better:  far  a  false 
sentiment  is  v,-orse  than  none.  But  T  feel  confident 
that  the  B!!)!e  sustains -every  point  i'l  the  plan  recom- 
mended above,  and  that  it  is  true.  God  declares  "the 
en-'h  from  the  beginning,  saying,  my  counsel  shall  stand;, 
and  I  will  do  all  my  pleasure." 

The  Bible  represents  G'''d,  as  beins:  the  first  cause  of 
all  things.  Wherefore  if  volitions,  or  choices  are 
things,  or  if  they  have  any  existence  at  all,  of  any  kind,. 
then  God  is  the  first  cause  of  them.  Th  ry  m.ust  be 
S(  met'iing,  or  nr.thing;  then  there  is  n-dther  good,  nor 
e^il  about  them,  if  they  be  ncthing.  But  if  th-:}  be 
scivething,  cf  whicl  good,  or  evil  is  aqnahty,  'r  car.  be 
a  quaht},    then  the  Diyine  agency  is  the  first  cause  of 


S4 
llierri.     And  I  suppose  you  will  not  doubt  that  he  pre- 
sents ihc  objects  of  choice,  and  gave  the  law. 

Ar;d,c'ear  brother,  you  have  no  way  to  prove  t!)at  God  is 
BOt  the  iir:.t  cause  of  volitions,  or  choices.  The  fact  is 
underiable,  that  there  are  volitions,  or  choices  ;  no\\/ 
how  does  all  this  come  to  pass.  You  only  suppose  that 
God  does  not  cause  them ;  but  you  have  not,  neither  can 
vou  prove  it.  I  assure  you  it  is  a  matter  of  too  much 
in  ])ovtai'Ce  to  be  laid  aside  by  a  bare  supposition  ;  with- 
out any  proof  whatever.  A  bare  supposition,  and  that- 
excited  either  by  dislike  to  it,  whether  it  be  true,  or  false; 
or  else  by  the  fear  of  making  him  the  first  cause  of  evil; 
while  he  savs  of  himself,  1  make  pea<'e,  and  create  evil: 
I  the  Lord  do  all  these  things."  By  this  supposition, 
we  should  really  dishonour  God,  while  we  might  think, 
we  were  trying  to  honour  hi;n. 

N.  T  agree  that  God  is  really  the  efficient  cause  of  the 
rnind,  or  soul;  but  the  aind,  or  soul  chooses,  or  puts 
forth  choices,  or  volitions.  How  would  this  be  dishon- 
ourable to  God? 

A.  That  is  like  giving  with  one  hand,  and  taking  a- 
wav  u  ith  the  other.  I  agree  the  mind  chooses  ;  f>r  the 
mind  is  a  thinking,  choosing^  active  existence,  and  v,ath- 
out  a  choice,  there  is  no  mind.  A  choice  or  volition  is 
a  constituent  part  of  a  mind  or.  soul ;  ai^.d  without  a 
choice  or  volition,  a  mind,  or  sr-ul  caniKt  e^ist,  or  be  a 
mind.  But  you  suppose  a  mind  to  exist,  or  be  a  mind 
without  a  choice,  or  before  any  choice  or  vohtion  exists; 
and  then  that  mind  puts  f<;rth  choices,  without  any  pre- 
virus  design  to  doit.  Which  aj^pears  to  me  very  ab- 
surd. But  even  that  sujpf  sitiop  does  not  clear  the  Di- 
vine agency  of  being  the  first  cause  of  evil.  For  he 
made  the  mind,  and  keeps  the  mind  in  existence,  while 
the'  mind  is  sup]wsed  to  put  forth  those  evil  choices. 
N'-^w  this  mind  i-s  dependant  on  the  Divine  agency,  for 
all  its  supposed  power  and  capability  cS  ]:ultiiig  forih  all 
•those  evil  choices :  and  this  makes  out  the  Divine  a- 


«5  . 
gencyas  really  the  first  caus-  of  evil,  as  my  way  dney, 
^vhile  it  only  supposes  a  differ  nt  way  of  doiiig  it.  And 
a  way  too,  which  never  has,  or  can  be  understood  or 
explained.  And  while  eyer  you  hold  this  supposed 
plan,  which  yen  do  not,  andean  never  understand,  }  ru  will 
labour  under  the  misibrtunt,-  of  both  ad;iiirtii!g  the  fact, 
•that  he  is  really  the  first  cause  of  evil,  and  then  denying 
it,  without  see!.!g  y-^ur  cf.-rftradiction,  or  even  suspecting 
that  you  have  stated  one.  For  I  told  you  before  that  he 
is,  in  some  sense  or  other,  the  first  cause  of  any 
thiTig,  and  every  thing,  that  would  not  have  existed,  if 
there  had  been  no  God. 

N.  Well  suppfise  I  admit  that  the  divine  agency  is, 
in  some  sense  or  other,  the  first  cause  of  evil ;  yet  1^ 
cannot  feel  satisfied  udiile  there  seems  to  me  to  be  any 
thmg,  in  the  sfiateFuent  of  the  case,  that  appears  unfa- 
■\'ourable  to  the  Divine  character.  And,  it  seems  tome, 
the  less,  he  has  done  in  that  point,,  the  better.  And  if 
he  caused  the  mind,  without  causing-  the  volitions  or 
choices,  he  did  less,  in  causing  moral  evil,  than  he 
would  have  done,  if  he  caused  the  choices. 

Volitions  or  choices  are  the  acts  of  the  mind;  and  ii 
v.-as  enough,  f3r  the  Divine  a;2^ency,  to  cause  the  mind,- 
AVithout  cansiao' its  acts.  Besides,  I  do  not  see,  very 
clearly,  how  th^  acts  of  the  mind,  can  he  a  constituent 
part  of  the  mind.  The  mind  seems  to  be  the  agent, 
and  the  choices  or  acts  seem  to  be  something  done,  by 
the  agent.  And  when  T  see  something  done,  I  always 
suppose  that  there  was  some  one,  that  had  done  it  I 
wish  you,  therefore,  to  render  some  further  reasons,  to 
shew  why  these  things  may  not  be  true. 

A.  It  is  certain  that  many  appearances  are  very  far 
from  being  realities.  And,  in  no  case  are  we  more 
likely  to  err,  than  when  we  attempt  to  compare  moral 
act.; on,  with  natural  actions. 

We  should  never  run  a  comparison  further  than  the 
nature  of  the  case  admits  of  it  being  done  fairly.     You 

H 


m 

«ieem  to  think  that  moral  action  is,  in  evefy  sense,  to  the 
tnind,  what  natural  actions  are  to  the  body ;  whereasi^ 
in  many  points,  there  difference  is  as  great  as  the  differ- 
ence between  matter,  and  spirit.  Natural  actions,  or  the 
actiors  of  a  body,  always  imply  loco-motion,  or  a  change 
from  place  to  place.  But  moral  action  never  implies  a 
change  of  place. 

Now,  brother  N".  suppose  you  wxre  to  s€e  the  track* 
Ot  a  man,  placed  one  alter  another  as  if  a  man  hud  walk- 
ed there,  you  would  think  some  man  had  done 
it;     that   some    man    had  been    in   the    act  of    v/alk- 

o 

N.  Yes,  I  would  have  no  doubt  of  it. 

A,  Then  what  is  it,  that  you  call  the  act;  is  it  the 
space,  through  w  hich  his  foot  moved;  or  was  it  This  foot 
moving  through  that  space? 

N.  The  act  consisted  in  the  man  moving  his  foot 
through  that  space. 

A.  Then  v\a-king  is  an  act  that  consists  of  the  man 
iTiOving,  or  putting  forth  his  feet  through  different 
spaces. 

N.  Yes,  T  think  so. 

A.   Are  not  the  man's  feet  a  part  of  the  man? 

N.   Yes,  they  are. 

A.  If  you  had  seen  a  man,  wdio  had  no  feet ;  wouki 
^you  have  thouglu,  tliat  he  uas  the  man,  that  v.alked 
there,  where  you  saw  the  tracks? 

N.  No;  for  walking  is  an  act,  that  consists  (  f  the 
-man  movinp^,  or  putting:  forth  his  feet  through  the  differ- 
ent  spaces;  and  his  feet  were  a  constituent  part  of  the 
m^'H,  who  walked. 

A.  Is  it  n(  t  absurd,  to  talk  of  a  m.an  putting  forth  his 
.foot,  if  he  has  no  f(*jOt?  ' 

N.  It  is  perfecdy  so. 

A.   'Chen  when  God  made  the  man,  he  made   his  feet 
as  a  j.art  ol  the  man,  and  must  continue  lo  keep  his  feet 


m 

n  being,  or  else  the  man  cannot  move,  or  put  forth  his 
feet  in  the  act  of  walking. 

N.  Yes,  truly. 

A.   Now,  what  is  moral  agenc}'',  or  action.^ 

N.  Moral  agency,  or  action  consists  in  choosing  and 
refusing;  or  rather,  the  mind  putting  forth  volitions,  or 
choices  is  moral  agency,  or  moral  action, 

^.  Can  you  conceive  of  any  kind  of  space,  through 
which  the  mind  moves,  or  puts  forth  its  volitions,  oc 
choices? 

N.  No,  I  cannot  conceive  of  any  kind  of  space, 
through  which  the  volition,  or  choice  moves ;  not- 
any  kink  of  a  change  of  place,  produced  by  choosing, 
©r  refusing. 

A.  Is  a  volition  or  choice  a  something,  or  is  it  a; 
nothing? 

N.  It  must  be  a  something  ;  for  it  would  be  very  ab- 
sured,  to  say  that  the  mind  puts  forth  a  volition,  and 
then  to  say  afterwards,  that  it  puts  forth  nothing. 

A.  Well,  when  the  mind  puts  forth  a  volition,  or  cho- 
ice, does  it  put  forth  something  that  it  already  has  in 
existence  ;  or  does  it  give  existence  to  something  that 
did  not  exist  before.^ 

N.  It  must   put    forth  som.ething  that  it  has  already- ' 
>n  existence ;  for  it   cannot  produce  a  new  something, 
that  did  nt:t  exist  before. 

A.  Then,  a  volition,  or  choice  is  a  something,  that 
the  mind  had,  before  the  mind  put  it  forth ;  for  the 
mJnd  never  can  put  forth  a  volition,  or  choice,  before 
it  has  one  to  put  forth  ;  any  more  than  the  man  can  put 
fort'i  a  f;3ot,  or  hand,  befare  he  has  any  foot  or  hand. 

N.  It  seems  so,  in  fact. 

A.  Then,  a  volition,  or  choice,  is  as  really  a  part  of 
the  mind,  as  a  foot,  or  hand  is  part  of  the  man. 

N.  It  does  reaiiy  seem  s  >;  and  as  a  man  without  a 
foot,  or  hand,   Wvouid.  rae  ©nly  a  part  ©f  a  man;  s«!  a 


mind,  witliont  a  volition,  or  ch'.ice,  would  be  only  a  pan 
of  a  mind. 

A.  And  whereas  God  made,  and  keeps  in  being  eve- 
ry  r,avt  of  the   man;   so  he  made,  and  keeps  in  being 
eve:  V  nart  of  the  mind. 
-     J\^.   I^  does  s-^em,  that  it  must  be  so, 

A.   N.w,  what  is  moral  og-ncv,  or  nT'^rai  rcti'^n? 

N.  If  a  mind,  or  proper  subject  of  moral  law,  choos- 
es, or  refuses,  or  puts  forth  volitions  or  choices.;  this 
cho  sing  and  refusinj^,  or  puttin^i;  forth  choices  is  mor- 
al agency,  o|^.  moral  action:  aiid  these  volitions,  or 
choices  belong  to  the  heart,  or  will. 

A.  Would  you  be  willing  to  say,  that  mere  volition, 
or  choice  is  moral  agency,  or  action? 

N.  Mo,  not  fully ;  for  there  seems  to  be  some  kind 
of  an  exertion,-  of  the  whole  mind,  in  choosing  and  re- 
fusing, or  in  putting  forth  choices,  or  volitions:  and 
something  like  a  turning,  or  shifting  from  object,  tor 
object;  or  from  one  object  of  choice,  to  another.  And 
moral  act  or  action  seems  to  imply  the  three,  that  is,  the 
exertion,  the  volition,  and  the  shifting  of  objects.  The 
mind  has  a  degree  of  power  or  strength ;  and  this 
strength  seems  to  be  exerted  in  choosing  an  object. 
And  moral  act,  or  action  seems  to  imply  the  volition,  and 
the  exertion  shifting,  or  placing  the  volition  on  the  ob- 
ject; and  then  the  volition  is  called  choice,  because  of 
the  preference  given  to  one  object  instead  of  another.  And 
all  this  without  loco- motion,  or  any  cliange  of  place;  for 
change  of  object^  is  not  change  of  place. 

A.  Very  well.  And  this  power  or  strength  belongs 
to  the  vvdiole  mind,  and  in  proper  proportion,  to  every 
part  of  the  mind ;  so  that  when  God  made  the  mind, 
with  all  its  ];arts,  he  made  it  a  weak,  or  a  strong  mind, 
in  proportion  to  the  quantity  of  power  or  strength,  he 
give  lo  it.  And  when  the  miiid  exerts  its  pouer,  or 
strength,  in  choosing,  or  pucting  forth  clioice.s,  it  does 
r.ot  produce  any  nevv  faculty,  or  volition  ;   but  it  is  only 


alt  ex  en  ion  of  the  faculties,  it  already  had,  ^vhich  Gtxii 
bad  made.     And\vhen  i'  is  said,  that  choice,  or  voliliom 
is  a  moral   act,   or  action,  it   is   imjDJied  that  the   whole- 
mind  is  exerted  m  view  of  the   object,  or  appropriately" 
eJmployed  in  view  of  the  same  object  of  choice. 

And  the  volition  or  choice  is  called  an  act,  or  action/ 
■  on  account  of  that  exertion,  that  always  accompanies  it,- 
and  places  it  on  the  object.  And  stricdy  it  is  the  voli- 
tion, cr  choice,  that  is  a  constituent  part  of  the  mind; 
while  the  exertion  is  of  the  whole  nimd.  But  because 
the  volitions,  or  choices  are  called  acts,  from  the  exer- 
tion of  the  mind,  and  chanr^e,  or  shifting,  or  preference 
of  objects  of  choice,  and  this  never  ceasin,^,  these  act^ 
are  said  to  be  constituent  parts  of  the  mind.  And  some- 
times, the  mind  is  said,  to  be  constituted  of  acts.  Ani, 
sometimes  it  is  said,  that  thinking,  and  choosing  are  acts- 
cf  the  mind  ;  and  tliat  they  are  constitutent  parts  of 
the  mind.  But  th'?y  are  called  acts,  from  the  exertion  of 
the  mind;  and  it  is  the  volition  itself,  without  refer-' 
«nce  to  the  exertion  of.  the  mind,  or  to  the  object  chos^ 
en,  th'c^t  is  called  a  part  of  the  mind.  Thinking'  and 
olioosing  are  the  business,  or  employment  of  a  mind, 
and  are  therefore,  called  acts  of  the  mind;  but  a  mind 
Gannot  exist  without  thinking  and  choosing,  or  without 
thought  and  volition,  and,  therefore,  they  all,  are  called 
constiiuent  parts  of  the  mind. 

Wherefore  the  mind  is  said  to  be  constituted  cf  actsi 
and  is  a  living  active  existence  ;  consistently  v/ith  what 
has  been  said  above. 

And  I  apprehend,  that,  in   this   point,   a  mind  differs- 
not  onlv  from    all   material  existe]:ices;   but  also,  tliat, 
this   point  distinguishes    that   modification  of  spiritual 
existence  called  a  mind,  fi-om  that  modification   of  spir- 
itual esistefice,  called  a  spiritual  bodv.     Cor.  15.   44. 

Wherefore,  in  my  view,  a  mind  is. a  piece  of  the  ni- 
cest- vvorkmansliip  of  God,   of  whicli  I  have  any  idea^ 
■     ;  io;:))ss  that  the  a':^e:acv-of  GjJ  docs   nn  causs 

II     £ 


llitose  volitions,  or  acts,  is  the  same  as  to  rob  God  oi' 
.aoiTje  of  the  credit  of  his  nicest  workmanship,  which 
is  hiarhlydishor  •itrin,^  to  God.  And  then  it  concuMes- 
•^vith  another  supposition,  that  the  mind  puts  forth  a. 
something;,  thit  it  is' supposed  not  to  possess  ;  which  is- 
as  absurd,  as  .  ;.  suppose  a  man  can  put  forth  a  foot  oi 
?iai  d,  whep  !',e  has  no  foot  or  haiid. 

N.  But,  blend  A.  is  there  not  some  kind  of  a  prin  • 
tiple,  or  instinct,  which  may  be  called  an  innate  'nher- 
»nt  desire  of  happiness,  implanted  in  the  human  mind^.  ' 
'antecedent  and  behind  all  volition,  or  choice,  or  cbcos- 
ing,  which  desire  of  happiness  is  the  most  powerful 
f  rinciple  in  human  nature;  and  yet  in  itself  ronsider-^d, 
it  is  neither  morally  good,  nor  moridly  evil.  Bu*  B-ing- 
always  alive,  and  never  satisfied,  might  not  this  innate, 
inherent  desire  of  happiness,  by  its  powerful  influence, 
impel,  or  cause  the  mind  to  act  contrary  to  law,  or  cause 
the  mind  to  put  forth  volitions,  or  to  choose  objects, 
•^vhich  the  law  forbids? 

A.  Brother  N.  this  question  puts  me  in  mind,  thai 
^  hrive  sr^me  where  either  heard,  or  read,  that  many  a 
"hur.dred  ages  past,  man  was  nothing  but  a  diminucive 
tadpole,  without  eyes,  feet,  or  hands.  And  that  from 
■an  innate  desire  of  happiness,  he  constantly  desired  to 
**?ee,  and  eyes  were  the  result;  and  from  a  great,  and  con- 
stant desire  to  handle,  hands  and  arms  came;  and  feet 
"protruded out,  from  a  perpetual  desire  to  walk.  And  in 
process  of  time,  he  came  to  his  present  estate,  and  stature, 
•all  resulting  from  that  innate  desire  of  happiness.  Ti* 
'is  true,  there  is  no  Liw  supposed  to  lie  transgressed,  i)y 
■these  eyes, hands,  and  feet  resulting  from  this  innate  de- 
sire of  happiness.  Otherwise  these  two  cases  seem  to  be 
Tiear  of  kin  to  each  other. 

The  huriian  mind  has  sensibility,  or  a  ca-:>abili'y  c^V 
feeling;  and  is  equally  sensible  to  pain,  or  happiness, 
i^nd  tbi-ssensilvility  of  mind,  is  independent  of  thought 
or  volition;  and  camiot  be  reached,  except  through  the 


■tiftdersf an ninp;,  ih  "^uch  a  ^lay  as  to  prorluce  a  sensatioij 
of  either  pain,  o''ha'")pin  is.  This  sensi;)ilitv  is  a  qual- 
ity, '"»r  property  of  a  liviiiGj  Tiincl.  Biit  the  se'isati">n,  of 
pain,  or  happiness,  is  a  different  thing,  and  is  the  exper- 
ience of  an  acting,  choosiiif^  mind.  Pain  is  undesira- 
ble, and  happiness  is  desirable  f  )r  its  own  sake  ;  but  a 
desire  of  haiDpiness  is  another  tliin?^,  and  takes  place  m. 
Consequenc"  -;f  knowing,  by  experience,  the  diff;irencc- 
t)et\reen  ]iain,  and  hanpiness,  and  that  happiness  is  desir- 
able, and  |>i:Qfora-bIe  to  pain.  And,  therefore,  tiiis  de 
sire  of  happiiiess  cannot  be  a  principle  iitiplanted  in  the 
mind  antecedent,  and  behind  all  volitions,  or  choices, 
and  thoufjhts,  for  that  would  be  the  desire  of  happiness, 
before  the  mind  knew,  that  happiness  Avas  desirable, 
•which  is  absurd.  And,  consequently,  a  desire  of  hap- 
piness, is  a  choice  of  happiness;  or  a  preference  of  hap- 
piness to  pain,  and  is  a  volition  :  and  cannot  be  antece- 
dent to,  or  behind  all  volitions;  and,  consequently,  it 
cannot  be  the  cause  of  volitions;  or  choices,  or  of  the 
Blind  choosing,  anvd  refusing  at  all. 

But  even  if  it  were  possible  for  such  a  desire  of  hap' 
'piness,  to  be,  and  exist  in  the  mind,  antecedent  to,  and 
behind  all  volitions,  or  choices,  or  choosing  and  refus- 
ing; and  if  that  desire,  was  ten  thousand  times  greater; 
than  you  have  supposed  it  to  be ;  yet  that  desire  of  hap- 
piness, could  not  impel,  or  cause  the  mind  to  choosej 
and  refuse,  or  to  put  forth  vcditions,  or  chcnces,  if  it  had 
no  volitions,  or  choices,  any  more  than  it  could  innoel^ 
or  cause  the  animal  to  put  forth  feet,  or  hands,  if  it  had 
no  feet,  or  hands. 

And  further,  I  have,  so  far,  spoken  of  the  mind  on- 
ly ;  but  if  you  mean  to  take  in  the  body  and  mind  Ijoth: 
the  case  will  be  a  step  further  from  answeririg  your  par- 
•pese;;-  For  animal  life  (not  the  vegetable  life  of  an  ani- 
mal) and  all  the  phenomena  of  animal  life,  are  the  re- 
•suit  of  the  junction  of  a  mind,  of  some  sort,  to  a  b ndy. 
And  the  mind  of  man  is  a  rational  mind  ;  and  it  takes  a 


B2 

i  vrihcr  prf-cessTir  recsoriirg  to  ascertain   \\  hat  objects 
mr;v.  cvn.ry  '  •  » l~5er;;lruiater!  tomal;e  one  happy,  v/ho  has 
u    niiid  and  body,  than  it  ^r^uli  take,    if  th---e  u\is  a 
n'iindonlv,  (v>  i;.    i^uited  with  objects. 

'^^•' here  fore,  ''uhen  the  wo-Tian  sa'v  that  tlie  tree  was 
pTcd  for  food,  and  that  it:  vras  Dleasant  to  the  eyes,  ond 
ix.tree  to  be  desired  to  ;Piake  one  wise,  she  took  of  the 
fruit  therecf,  and  chd  eat;  and  f^ave  also  unto  her  huns- 
h  r.cl  with  her,  arid  lie  did  eat."     Gen  3.    G. 

Nf  w   Miierens    Adam  liad   hioth  mental,   and  animal 
sensibility,  or  capability  of  feeling  pain,  or   ijappiness,- 
and  as  happiness  is  desirable,   and  preferable   to  pain; 
this    desirableness,    and    preferableness    of   hanpiness, 
Vv'nidd  be  asufiicient  reason,  in  the  nature  of  the  thing, 
'^A'ly  he  should    desire   and  prefer,   or  clioose    f)h.j  cts,, 
A'^ddch,  he  thonp^ht,  v/ere  calculated  to  promote  his  liap 
piness.     Ent  this  desirableness  of  happiness,   or  a  de- 
sire of  happiness,  even  if  sueh  a  thing  could   have  exist- 
ed in  tl'C  mind  antecedent,  and  behind  all  volitions,  could 
not  be  the  cause  of  volions,  or  choices,  or  of  his  choos- 
inr^  those  objes  of  choice,  any  more  than  it  could  be  the. 
cnuseof  C3"e5,  or  feet,  or  hands,  if  he  had  no  eyes,  nor 
.icet,  nor  hands.     But  the   Divine  agency  was  the  first 
tau.se  of  all. 

N    N  iVv,  what  is  a  proper  presentation  of  the  objectS' 
of  choice? 

A.  When  objects  of  choice  are  laid  before  the  fnind^^ 
in  their  various  connexions,  bearings,  and  arrangen-sents, 
in  Kucli  a  manner,  that  they  can  be  chosen;  or  refused,^ 
accord ir.n'  to  tlie  purpose,  vvliich  the  per-^^on  has  in  \]ew 
to  accomplish,  by  choosirg,  or  refusing  those  ol>jects  ; 
ihen  the  objects  are  properly,  <^r  sufficiently  presen'ed. 
Whereas  it  is  mipossible  to  serve  G )  1,  and  nann  u 
at  (lie  ;:a.nc  time;  so  no  two  dilfei ent  o'jjcc  :s  can  be 
eh  'Sen  at  the  ^^ame  time.  But  any  nunber  of  things 
constituting  nne  complex  object,  maybe  chosen  at  the 
sam&  time.     But   no  one  object  can   be  chosen,  while 


m 

aticther  stands  ia  its  W2iy.  And  whatever  ol>ject  is  plac- 
ed at  the  right  time,  in  the  right  placs,  to  be  t!ia  o')ject 
of  choice,  or  tliat  it  ca-i  be  chosen,  that  o.;jeGt  is  ^uili- 
ciertly  presented;  and  that  o'^j.-ct  -.vas  cjitain  to  Idc 
chosen,  or  refused,  accirding;  as  it  might  be  a  volition, 
oran-'lition,  before  which  the  object  was  presented  un- 
der the  !hvv. 

But  uiKler  the  gospel,  none  but  the  Floly  Spirit  can 
pronerly  present  the  objects,  for  the  conversion  of  a 
sinner;  rrd  his  business  is  both  to  present  the  object, 
and  alsf'  as  a  cause,  to  direct  the  heart,  or  the  choice  t® 
the  objects,  in  the  proper  manner,  for  the  more  satis- 
factfTy  certainty  of  accomphshing  the  purpose,  as  has 
been  already  said. 

^nd  now  I  wish  to  remark,  that  I  have,  so  far,  gone 
upon  the  supposition  that  t'ne  mind  has  nolitions,  as  well 
as  volitions,  from  custom,  and  f-'>r  the  convenience  of 
speaking.  But  if  you  should  think,  that  it  is  most  likely 
that  the  mind  has  volitions  only,  without  any  nolitions  ; 
and  that  no  object  is  directly  refused  by  a  nolition.  But 
that,  v^^hen  any  object  is  directly  chosen  by  a  volition, 
it  is  always  impiied  that  another  object  if  refused:  as, 
in  this  case,  "He  that  is  not  against  me,  is  for  me.'' 
vc/nd  this,  "The  friendship  of  the  world  is  enmity  a- 
gainst  God."  I  say,  if  it  vv'ere  admitted  that  a  nolition 
does  not  exist;  but  that  in  all  cases,  where  one  object 
is  directly  chosen  by  a  volition,  it  is  implied  that  an- 
other object  is  refused :  Sill  the  meaning,  in  what  is 
jsaid  above,  is  equally  true. 

And  it  is  on  this  principle  of  properly  presenting  the 
object  of  choice,  that  God  has  made  it  our  business 
and  duty,  to  be  workers  together  with  him,  in  \\riting,  and 
speakiiig,  and  preaching,  and  reading;  while  we,  at  the 
same  time,  know,  that  "Paul  might  plant,  and  Apollos, 
water;  but  it  is  God  that  giveth  tlie  increase.  For  none 
but  Gud  cati  present  the  object  so  proper]},  as  that  i'v 
shall  De  certainly  chosen. 


94 

\Vherefore,  in  the  cove  rani-  cf  rec^f-mption,  it  was  a- 
greed,  that,  under  the  gospel  arrairgement,  it  should  be 
the  special  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  a  distinct  aiijent, 
to  present  the  objects,  for  the  conversion  of  a  sinner  ;- 
and  also  for  the  more  absr^lute  certainty,  and  that  aB 
fears  of  failure  might  be  excluded,  it  was  agreed  that  he 
should  be  the  cause  to  direct  the  heart,  or  the  choice  t«| 
the  proper  objects,  as  was  said  before.  And  in  thi^ 
way,  it  is  made  delightfully  certisin,  that  a  great  multi- 
%ide,  such  as  no  man  can  number,  shall  be  renewec^j 
,ar  c'  kept  by  the  power  of  God,  through  faith  unto  s^- 
vation. 


^(^mwmB^A^ii^^B  ia 


N.    Friend  A.  what  is  a  covenant? 

A.  A  covenant  is  an  agreement  between  two,  (^rwier-e 
parties,  to  do  or  not  to  do,  or  cause  something  to  be 
done,  at  some  future  specified  time,  on  some  considera- 
tion expressed  in  the  agreement ;  and  there  may,  or 
may  not  be  a  condition  also,  expressed  in  the  ascree- 
ment. 

A  covenant  is  an  executory  agreement;  and  it  is  es- 
jjntial  to  the  nature  of  a  covenant;  that  the  thing  a- 
.greed  on,  is  to  be  done  at  some  fiUin^e  period,  after 
making  the  agreement.  A  mere  promise,  to  do  some- 
thing, at  some  future  period,  is  in  the  nat-'U-e  of  a 
covenant.' 

But  an  agreement  to  do,  and  perform  someting  at  the 
time  of  making  the  agreement,  is.  an  executed  agree- 
ment, and  13  not  in  the  nature  of  a  covenant.  This  ex- 
ecuted agreement  is  a  contract  that  cannot  be  broken  i 
for  ibis  perf  )rraed  already,  at  the  time  of  making  it. 

But  a  covenant  is  a  contract  that  can  be  broken  ;  foi?- 
lire  tning  agreed  en,  not  bem^  done  at  the  tmie  of  mak- 


95 

mg  the  agreevnent ;  but  to  be  done  at  some  fufure    "per" 
iod  after  mL.kiii:^-  the  agreement,  either  party,   might  fail 
to  i;erform  what  he  had  agreed  to  do,  and  then  the  cove- 
jimn  would  be  broken.* 

N.   What  is  the  covenant  of  redcmptioni' 

A.  The  corenant  of  redemption  is  an  agreement  be- 
-t^v.^en  God  the  Father,  Stm,  and  ?i  )'y  *^pirit  to  do,  or 
^KLurse  to  be  done,  every  thing,  great  and  small,  tha^t 
^ver  has^  or  ever  will  take  place,  after  the  agreemcint 
ti'as  made,  in  the  Universe,  at  its  specified  time,  and  on 
ks  appropriate  consideration,  and  condition,  express,  d 
m  the  as;reement. 

N.  Does  the  Bible,  any  wliere,  speak  of  this  cove- 
hant  of  redemption? 

A.  Yes,  every  where,  wherever  it  s-^eaks  of  a  cove- 
tiant,  or  of  an  agreement  betw-een.  the  Divine  pers-ns,  or 
any  tv/o  of  them  ;  and  wherever  it  sneaks  of  anv  pro- 
mise made  by  any  one,  to  any  other  of  the  three  Divine 
persons. 

In  the  89th.  Psahn.  19.  it  is  said- — "Then  thou 
speakest  in  vision  to  thy  holv  one,  and  saidst,  T  have  laid 
help-upon  one  that  is  n-dj^i-htv;  I  have  exalted  one  cho-s- 
en  out  of  the  people."  And.  cf  tins  "holy  one,;'  iti-s 
sflid;  "lAvill  make  him  my  first  born,  higher  than  the. 
Kings  of  the  earth."  verse  27.  This  Holy  one,  this 
first-born  is  the  David,  m  that  89th  Psal.  so  often  sp-^-k- 
en  of,  with  v.diom  the  c' venant  was  m.ade.  This  cove- 
nant is  the  covenant  of  redemption. 

But  every  thirg,  in  the  nature  of  a  promise,  made  b)'- 
one,  to  another  of  these  three  Divine  persons,  is  in  the. 
riature  of  a  ccvenr.nt ;  and  is  a  part  of  the  coveriant  of 
redemption.     As.  Psal.  2.   8.   Luke.  22.  42. 

E\ery  thing  in  the  Bible  that  im.plies  an  aaireement  be- 
tween the  Divine  persons,  to  do  something  at  s'^  ne 
time  aftt-r  making  the  agreemient,  shews  so  much  r-f  the. 
ccvfra:  t  (f  redfrrtirp.  Psal. -40.  7.-8.  H- b.  10.7. 
■John.  5.   SO.  and  6.  38. — 40.     In  short,  if  you  will  take 


9G 

.•5>il^cient  care  to  understand  the  iianire  of  a  covenant 
vMi  v\iil  then  see,  tliat,  in  ihe  Bii^Ie,  tiiere  is  abundant 
evidence  of  the  covenant  of  redemption. 

N.   Why  is  it  called  tlie  coveimnt  of  redemption"? 

A.  Because  the  plan  of  redemption  is  tl:e  great  lead- 
iii|7  part,  of  that  covenant. 

N.  In  what  capacity,  did  the  t'lree  Divine  persons  en- 
ter into  that  covenant  «;f  rede  Mptio;^? 

A.  As  perfect  equals;  and  not  in  any  ofiicial  c:\pac! ty 
whatever. 

N.  Did  they  enter  into  that  covenant,  in  any  speci- 
fied relations  to  each  c-ther.^ 

A.  Yes;  in  the  relations  of  Father,  S  )n,  and  Holy 
Bpivit. 

N.  Why  was  it  necessary  to  have  such  precision,  in 
ascertaining  the  identical  parties,  with  their  specified  re- 
lations, in  this  covenant? 

A.  Because  this  covenant  of  redemption  is  the  found- 
ation, or  the  great  constitution  of  the  Divine  govern- 
ment. And  if  there  be  any  defect  in  the  foundation,  the 
win -le  building  mi8:ht  fall. 

N.  Why  might  not  this  covenant,  have  been  made  be- 
tv.een  the  First,  Second,  and  Third  persons,  as  such; 
widifut  any  reference  to  their  relati^js,  as  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Spirit?  -'^ 

A.  Because  the  i'^entical  parties  that  enter  into  a  cove- 
nant, must  fulfil  it,  rr  it  is  n  t  fulfiHed  at  all  ;  but  it 
would  be  broken.  Now  if  the  First,  Second,  and  T  urd 
persons,  as  such,  enter  into  this  cox^rnant,  without  any 
reference  t'^  their  relations,  as  Father  S.)n,  an  '  Holy 
Spirit;  Then  the  same  First,  Second,  an-l  Third  pe  r 
sons,  as  such,  must  fulfil  it ;  and  that  without  any  re- 
ference to  their  relations;  otherwise  it  is  not  fulfilled  at 
all,  according  to  the  agreement.  For  it  w(:uld  be,  in  the 
end,  taliino-  in  a  vc-rv  important  item,  which  had  not  been 
agreed  ';n,  at  the  b^'^^iflning,  and  with  which,  the  cove- 
•<"!ant  liad  nothing  to  ao.  And  ii  the  three  persons,  in' 


i 


m 

il^eir  relations,  as  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit  enter 
into  the  covenant,  then  in  the  same  reluti  ..ns,  as  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Spirit^  they  must  fulfil  the  covenant;  or 
it  is  not  fulfilled  at  all.  But  the  covenant  has,  and  will 
be  fulfilled  by  the  parties,  in  their  relations,  as  Father^ 
Son,  and  Holy  Spirit;  and  of  course,  must  have  he.n 
entered  by  the  parties,  in  the  same  relations.  See  Con. 
®n  the  Trinity,  and  Sonship. 

Now  I  wish  you  to  understand  distinctly,  that,  in 
whatever  capacity,  the  parties  enter  into  a  coA'enant,  in 
the  very  same  capacity,  they  are  bound  to  iulfil  it;  and 
in  no  other  capacity  whatever,  are  they  bound,  nor  to  be 
sxpected  to  fulfil  it.  If  you  would  keep  this  in  view, 
it  v/ould  save  you  from  many  an  error. 

N.   What  is  the  covenant  of  grace? 

A.  The  covenant  of  grace  is  an  agreement,  between 
God  the  Father,  as  one  party,  and  every  believer,  Christ 
being  his  eurety,  as  the  other  party,  to  do,  (h*  cause  tc 
be  done,  from  the  instant  after  the  agreement  was  made, 
every  thi'ig,  great  and  small,  that  is,  or  ever  will  be  need- 
ful for  the  well-being  of  the  believer,  and  his  household, 
in  this  world,  and  in  the  world  to  come,  at  its  proper 
time,  and  on  its  appropriate  consideration,  and  con 
dition,  in  all  points  where  there  maybe  a  condition. 

N.  .Does  the  Bible,  any  where,  speak  of  this  covenant 
of  e'race? 

o 

A.  Yes;  in  many  places.  See  Gen.  17  1 — 19.  2. 
SMmuel.  23.  5.  Isa.  55.  3.  and  61.  8.  Jere.  32.  40. 
Ezek.  57.  26.  Hebrews,  13.  20.  and  many  other 
places. 

N.    'A'hy  is  it  called  the  covenant  of  grace? 

A.  Because  in  this  covenant,  God  asrrees  to  do  preal 
lav'.urs,  for  those  that  were  guilty,  and  ill  deserving, 
consistently  with  the  greatest  good  of  the  government : 
and  this  is  g.acc;,  in  distinction  from  paying  a  de!)t, 

N.  What  is  the  condition  in  this  covenant  of 
jrrace? 


98 

A.  A  Gonsideratioli  must  be  either  good,  or  valuable. 
A  vahuiiMe  coiibicieradon  would  be  either  money,  or  pro- 
perty, rr  work  and  labour  done  ;  of  which  the  believet 
has  none  on  his  part,  to  give  ;  but  he  is  in  need  of  eve- 
ry thing. 

A  good  consideration  i".  either  love,  or  good  will ;  as 
from  a  relation  or  friend.  The  consideration,  in  the 
covenant  of  grace,  is  not  a  valuable  one,  but  is  a  good 
consideration,  or  it  is  that,  which  moves  the  Father  to 
agree  to  do,  for  the  believer,  that  which  he  needs  ;  an4 
this  is  called  a  good,  or  sufficient  consideration.  And  a 
condition  is  some  contingency  that  may,  or  may  not 
■happen  ;  and  which  may  be  either  expressed,  or  im- 
iplied  in  the  agreement. 

N.  In  what  sense,  does  this  covenant  of  grace  arise 
out  of  the  covenant  of  redemption.? 

A.  It  was  the  covenant  of  redemption  that  made  it 
certain    that  the  covenant  of  srrace  would-  exist. 

t"or  the  parties  m  the  covenant  of  redemption  agreed 
and  decided  that  the  Father  should  be  one  party  in  the 
coxenant  of  grace,  and  that  the  Son  was  to  be  surety 
for  the  believer,  who  is  the  other  party.  So  that,  if  ei- 
ther the  Father,  or  Son  were  to  fail  in  any  part  of  what 
they  agreed,  in  the  covenant  of  redemption,  to  do  in 
the  covenant  of  grace ;  the  covenant  of  redemption 
would  be  broken. 

N.  Does  the  Father  and  Son;  in  doing  their  parts 
in  the  covenant  of  grace,  act  in  the  same  capacity  of 
Father  and  Son,  in  which  they  entered  as  parties  in  the 
covenant  of  redemption? 

A.  Yes,  precisely;  so  for  as  it  respects  the  agreement 
-m  the  covenant  of  redemption.  For  it  is  the  covenant 
of  redemption,  that  binds  the  Father,  and  Son  to  under- 
take and  perform  their  respective  parts  in  the  covenant 
of  ^race.  And  in  that  covenant  of  redemption,  they 
could  not,  in  any  one  capacity,  bind  themselves,  to  do, 
or   perform  any   thins;  whatever,   in   another  capacity 


i}9 

Vnd  if  it  be  not  done  in  the  very  same  capacity  in. 
which  the  agreement  was  made,  it  is  not  done  at  all 
according  to  that  agreement;  but  the  covenant  would 
be  broken. 

N-  But  does  not  Christ  enter,  as  surety  for  the 
believer  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  in  the  capacity  of 
^'lediator? 

A.  N'o.  The  Son  enters,  as  surety  for  the  believer 
in  the  covenant  ot  grace,  in  his  capacity  as  Son,  accord- 
ing to  his  agreement  in  the  covenant  of  redemption. 
And  in  which  covenant,  he  agreed. also  that  as  Son,  he 
v.-ould  be  Mediator  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  See  Heb. 
7.  22—28.  and  8.  6.  and  9.   15. 

N.  But  does  it  not  appear,  from  those  texts,  that  it 
was  in  his  capacity  of  High  Priest,  he  was  made  surety, 
©r  Mediator? 

A.  No.  But  it.  was  in  his  capacity  of  Son,  he  was 
made  high  priest.  See  Heb.  7.  28.  And  it  was  be- 
oause  he  was  anointed  wit  the  oil  of  {gladness,  bv  the 
Holy  Spirit,  when  he  was  made  high  priest,  that  he 
was  called  Christ.  _ 

And  so,  it  is  in  his  capacity  as  Son,  that  he  perform- 
©d  every  work,  endured  his  sufferings,  and  sustains  all 
his  ouices,  and  navaes  or  titles,  in  the  plan  of  redemp- 
tion. And  also,  ctF  Son,  he  sustains  all  that  supreme 
iiulhorlty  in  the  Universal  Government,  tliat  was  dele- 
gated toiiim,  by  the  Father ;  until  he  shall  deliver  it- 
back  to  the  Father.  And  in  this  way,  tlie  Son  is  furn- 
ished for  every  good  work. 

N.  But,  why  miglit  not  the  appointment,  of  die  Se- 
cond person  of  the  Trinity,  to  the  Vv'crk  of  Mediator,  con- 
stitute his  Sonship? 

A.  A  San  is  one  thing,  and  a  Mediator  is  another- 
^hmg;  and  sonship  is  a  kind  of  relationship,  very  dif- 
ferent from  Mediatorship.  And  the  sonship  of  the  se- 
Qond  person,  expresses  that  infinitely  high,  and  near,  and 
tender,  and  endearing  kind  of  relation  ia  wnich  he  st.uidg 


t»the  otlier  two  persons  in  the  order  of  the  Trinitv.  Bui; 
not  th6  rekitioii,  we  tneafi,  by  the   word  kindred.     And 
alsM,  it   expre&ses   the  relation,  in  .which   lie   stands  t® 
the  other  persons,  in  the  order,  and  vroik  of  the   cove 
nasitof  redtnipticn. 

But  his  Mediatrrship  expresses  th:^t  kind  of  a  relation 
in  which  he  stands  to  the  Father  as  one  party,  and  to  the 
believer  as  the  other  party,  in  the  covenant  of  graces 
una  represents  him,  as  i3eing  enfi:a,fi^ed  in  a  certain  busi- 
ness, or  v/oik,  between  thesn  as  the  two  parties  particu- 
larly concerned.  Wheref-jre  the  sonship,  and  the  Med-. 
iatorship  are  so  very  different,  that  an  appointment  to 
either  one,  could  not  possibl}-  constitute  tliat  one,  and 
the  other  too. 

Bnt  suppose  that  appointment  should  constitute  hi<s 
sonsliip ;  that  would  be  like  the  appointment  making' g, 
person,  instead  of  a  person  receiving  an  appoinment. 
Or,  it  would  be  like  the  appointment  making  a  charac- 
ter, instead  of  a  fit  character  receiving  an  appointment. 
Or,  in  fact,  it  would  be  the  appointment  constituting  a 
Sonship,  instead  of  appointing  a  well  qualified  Son,  to 
do  a  cert '.in  specified  work,  v/hich,  he  as  son  had  agreed 
to  do.  This  would  have  shewn  an  inconsistency,  in  the 
foundation  of  the  building. 

This  sonship  must  be  understood,  as  a  title  expressing 
some  kind  of  a  relationship  to  the  Father,  vrhich  is  the 
tj'uth  ;  or  else,  a  title  expressing  some  kind  of  a  connex- 
ion with  certain  w^ork,  which  is  not  tlie  tiuth.  But  if 
we  understand  the  title  son,  in  this  last  sense,  then  it 
has  nothing  to  do,  with  the  character  of  the  second  per- 
son, any  more  than  the  title  Mediator  lias  ;  or  any  other 
^tle,  or  commission  that  Vvould  express  a  connexion 
tvith  a  work,  or  business.  Bat  in  this  sense,  every 
^hmg,  that  constitutes  tliat  kind  of  endearing  relatitm- 
shjp  ro  die  Father,  is- entirely  left  out  of  yi:\v.  And  the 
title  Father  would  be  equally  as  far  from  bemg  ap- 
i5iOpi>ace. 


101 

But  if  we  understand  the  title  son,  lis-  expressing; 
some  kind  of  an  endearing  relationship  to  the  Father, 
and  the  title  Father,  as  expressing  a  reciprocally  appro- 
priate relationship  to  the  son,  which  we  said  was  the 
truth  ;  then  it  is  certain,  that  the  appointment  to  the 
work  of  Mediator  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  could  not' 
constitute  his  sonship,  in  such  a  sense,  as  would  express 
relationship.  For  he  as  Son  could  not  perform,  that 
work  of  Mediator,  according  to  any  agreement  made  by 
him  as  Son,  in  the  covenant  of  redeaiption  ;  for  accord- 
ing to  that  supposition,  he  was  not  made  Son,  until  af- 
ter the  agreement  was  made,  in  the  covenant  of  redemp- 
tion :  therefore,  you  see,  that  he  as  son,  could  not  have 
made  an  agreement  that  existed  before  he  was  made 
Son.  And  that  the  covenant  or  agreement  was  not 
made  by  the  parties,  in  that  endearing  relationship  ;  and 
that  the  tide  Son,  by  such  or  after  appointment,  wouM 
oot,  in  truth,  express  any  kind  of  relationship  more  en- 
dearing, than  the  title  Mediator  would. 

Wherefore  all  that  part  of  the  character,  of  the  Firsi;^ 
:md  Second  Persons  of  the  Trinity,  arising  from  that  en- 
dearing relationship)  expressed  by  the  Titles  Father,  and 
Son,  w^ould  have  been  left  out  of  view  in  making  the 
covenant  of  redemption;  which  v/ould  have  been  o^ 
great  defect  in  the  foundation  of  the  government.  And 
this  defect  would  have  been  manifested  throughout  al- 
most  every  part  of  its  administration.  For,  besides  the 
First,  and  Second  persons  having,  made  no  such  agree- 
ment, in  the  covenant  of  redemption,  in  their  endearing 
relationship  expressed  by  the  titles  Father,  and  Son, 
■it  could  not  be  said,  in  truth,  that  the  Father  appoint" :•- 
the  Son  to  be  Mediator.  For  one  has  not  been  Father 
any  longer,  than  the  other  has  been  Son;  and  if  thaS 
appointment  constituted  one  Son,  it  at  the  same  period 
constituted  the  other  Father.  And  one  was  not  Father, 
nor  the  other  Son  until  after  the  appointment  mad  them*-, 
so.      Wherefore  itstead  of  saying  that  the   Fc^.i.er  ag- 


102 

pSDinted  the  Son  to  i)e  IMc-liator ;  it  could  have  heeii 
'3ai(],  in  more  truth,  that  the  sa-ne  ap-)ointnient  made  one 
Fi-.ther  and  the  other  Smi.  The  same  objection  mi^ht 
be  T-  :\dc  agair.st  saying  ; — That  the  Father  sent  the  Son 
into  the  ivorldj  if  he  was  not  Son,  until  after  the  sendinc: 
bim 

Wherefore  it  was  exceedindy  necessary,  and  infinite 
wisdom  would  dictate  that  the  parties  \vith  their  good 
character,  and  endearinj^  relations  should  be  accurately 
ascer;.ained,  known,  and  acknowledged,  by  eac]->  oiher, 
tinder  those  tides,  of  endearing  relationship,  Father, 
S' n,  and  Holy  Spirit,  in  the  order  of  the  nature  of  the 
Gase,  antecedently  to  making  the  covenant  of  redemption, 
and  that  under  those  titles,  they  should  enter  into,  and 
confirm  this  covenant  of  redemption.  And  then  when 
this  covenant  of  redemption  should  be  published  in  a 
created  Universe,  all  inrlividuals,  v/ho  would  be  concern- 
ed to  know  the  truth  of  the  matter,  couM  ascertain  the 
inlinitely  good  character,  and  standingof  the  parties,  that 
liad  made  the  agreement  in  the  covenant  of  redemption, 
and  know  in  whom  to  place  their  highest  confidence. 
And  then  it  would  also  be  strictly  true,  that  the  Father 
appointed  the  Son  Mediator  of  the  covenant  of  grace,^ 
according  to  asrreement  in  the  co\^enant  of  redemption  ; 
an-  also,  that  the  Father  sent  the  Son,  into  the  world; 
to  save  sinners.  I  wish  you  to  remember,  that  I  do  not 
mean,  by  the  word  relationship,  what  is  commonly 
meant  by  the  word  kindred-  See.  Con.  on  the  Trini- 
l^^andSonship. 

N.  Why  mij^ht  we  not  suppose,  that  God  exists  iia 
hut  one  person,  or  subsistence,  and  that  the  one  same 
person  sustains  all  the  names,  and  tides  of  relation,  titles- 
«Df  employment,  and  government  offices;  and  that  the 
®T-e  nerson  covenants  with  himself  in  these  different  re- 
lations, and  performs  those  works  of  employment  under 
then-  appropriate  tides,  and  executes  all  those  govern- 
mental oilices,  in  their  proper  order.^ 


103 

A.  Becauss  this  would  be  siipposino*  sonietbiu^-  iiiv.. 
iy  contrary  to  the  Bible  representation.  T  am  inclined  t© 
think  that  neither  you,  nor  I  could  possibly  think  hon- 
estly that  we  had,  or  could  learn  fro'n  the  Bible,  any 
such  tKii-ii?;  unless  we  w.^re  "friven  \ip  to  believe  a  lie." 
The  Bible  was  desip;ned  to  t>ach  us  the  truth;  and  i'{ 
that  had  been  the  i'ud">, — why  did  it  not  say  so.  And 
whv,  did  not  the  Bible  sav, — I  have  made  a  covenant 
v/ith  mvself ;  instead  of  savins;, — "I  have  mad.:*  a  cove- 
nant vvith  my  chosen?"  Psal.  89.  J.  19.  20.  And 
further,  "a  covena>"it  is  an  as^reenient  between  two,  or 
more  narties,"  One  party  therefore  could  not  covenant 
with  himself,  in  this  sense.  Wherefare  if  we  were  to 
adopt  that  supposition,  we  must,  for  consistency's  sake, 
deny  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  with  all  the  Bible  hn.. 
said  about  it ;  and  become  a  Unitarian  of  some  cast  a 
or  other,  which  is  really  an  infidel  of  some  species,  or 
Other. 

N.  Must  a  covenant  have  a  seal ;  or  woulddt  do,  v/ith- 
dut  a  seal? 

A.  A  covenant  may  have  a  seal,  which  is  a  confirma- 
tion of  the  covenant ;  or  it  may  do  without  a  seal,  and 
be  confirmed  some  other  way, 

N.   How  was  the  covenant  of  redemntion  confirmedf 

A.  It  was  confirmed  by  an  oath,  as  the  Bible  calls  it^ 
between  the  parties,  v/hich  was  the  hisjhest  coiifir  na- 
tion, it  could  have  had.  See  Hebrews  7.  20. — 21  Psal. 
110.  4. 

N.   What  are  the  words  of  the  oath? 
.    A.  "As  Hive."     S-c.  R  )m.   14.   11.  Isa.  49.   18. — 
To  this  purport, — "As  I   live,"  I  will  do  every  thing,-. 
that  T  have  aQ:reed  to  do,  in  this  covenant. 

N.   Mow  is  the  covenant  of  g-race  confirmed? 

A.   By  a  seal, 

N.   What  is  t!te  seal  of  the  covenant  of  grace? 

A.  Circu  ncisioi!  wa-,  the  seal  of  the  covenant  of 
.grace,  froin  the  time  that  the  covenant  of  grace,  was  for- 


£01- 
.•a]ly  established  with  Abraham,  urdii  tae  death  of 
Christ  ended  the  Jewish  dispensation.  See.  Rom.  4. 
l\.  and  Gen.  17.  1. — 14.  And  water  baptism  is  the 
sea]  of  that  covenant,  after  (liri't's  death,  upder  the 
christian  dispensation.     Sec.  Cm,  on  baptism. 

N.  Did  the  covenant  itself  underg-o  any  material 
diange,  by  altering'  its  seal,  from  circumcision  to  bap- 
tisrn? 

A.  No. 

N.  Does  Christ  go  surety  for  the  believer,  in  the 
■Covenant  of  grace,  in  such  a  Vv^ay  as  to  secure  everv 
diing  necessary,  for  the  certain  v/ell  being  of  the  belies  • 
er,  Vu  t^'Js  worll,  and  in  the  world  to  come? 

.//.   Yes,  for  the  believer. 

N.  And  does  he  go  surety  in  the  same  way,  as  it  re- 
-'ipects  the  believer's  houshold? 

A.  No.  Christ  does  not  go  surety  for  the  believer,  iia 
any  such  a  way,  as  to  secure  the  certain  well  being  of 
any  but  the  believer's  self,  either  in  this  world,  or  in  the 
Avorld  to  come.  Christ  does  not  go  surety  that  the  be- 
liever will  do  his  duty  either  in  this  world,  or  in  the 
world  to  come,  as  it  respects  either  himself,  or  his  housev 
hold ;  but  he  goes  surety  for  the  believer,  that  no  injti' 
ry  shall  be  sustained  in  the  government,  in  consequence'' 
of  the  believer's  fiivourable  treatment,  in  this  world  anS, 
in  the  world  to  come  ;  and  in  consequence  of  the  inter- 
Ssts  of  the  government  being  secured,  the  Father  an^: 
believer  settle  the  controversy  between  them,  and  con-- 
dlude  an  amicable  agreement. 

N.  Did  you  not,  in  a  former  conversation,  say  that  the- 
believer's  character  would  certainly  be  established  un- 
changeably good,  at  the  end  of  his  probation,  according' 
to  Christ's  good  character,  which  was  the  pattern  for  the 
believer's  character ;  how  then  do  you  now  say,  that 
Christ  do  :s  not  go  surety  for  the  believer,  that  the  be^- 
fiever  will  do  his  duty. 

A.  In  the  covenant  of  redemption,  it  was  agreed  jj? 


the  parties,  in  that  eovenaiTt,  that  character  should  be 
dcv:ii.led  aiid  established,  and  adapted  to  the  government;, 
and  this  includes  all  the  idea  of  doJ:-ig  ;kif\%  and  of  no(: 
doing' dut)'.  And  also  m  that  covenant,  it  was  ati^ reed 
that  a  t^'overnnient  should  be  established,  and  exactly 
ii^'ed  to  character.  But  aow  in  the  covenant  of  grace, 
Christ  gjoes  surety' f^r the  b'diever,  that  the  government 
sh:i!i  surfer  no  injury,  in  coasequence  of  the  believer's 
pardon,  and  thereby  secures  the  fav-surable  treat^aent  of 
ihe  be!l'^;vcr  in  the  government.  Wherefore  die  Gov- 
ern, r,  in  his  ofnci'd  capacity,  niav,  at  the  proper  period, 
safety  pardon  the  believer,  ^.eeing  the  governnient  shall 
sufrer  no  injury,  in  consequence  of  it. 

N.  Why  might  not  the  Governor,  in  his  ouicial  capa- 
city, be  one  p?irty  in  this  covenant  of  grace? 

A.  Because  the  Governor,  in  his  ofHcial  capacity,  i? 
bound  by  the  law,  and  must  do,  as  the  law  directs;  and 
therefore  cannot  be  a  party  in  the  case  at  law,  or  prose- 
cution. But  God  the  Father  is  one  party,  called  the 
^'adversary,"  or  plaintiff  or  prosecutor  Math.  5.  25. 
Luke.  12.  58.  ^nd  the  sinner  is  the  other  party,  called 
^"je  defendant^  or  culprit,  who  has  beenalread3'corLdem.- 
r.ed,  by  the  law  and  is  now  under  a  reprieve  until  he  is 
tried  at  the  great  general  court,  of  mercy,  and  grace^j 
which  is  yet  coming;  and  if  he  be  still  the  sinner  at  that 
court,  he  will  be  punished,  according  to  the  ancient  sen- 
ter.ce  of  the  law.  But  the  believer  is  one,  that  agrees 
with  the  adversary  now  v/liiie  he  is  on  the  v/ay,  in  this 
covenant  of  fi:race.     .^nd  the  Dtosecutor  no  louQ-er  de- 

O  -  J.  O 

mands  his  punishment,  according  to  the  moral  law,  and 
Vv'hich  punishv,ient  could  not  now  be  inflicted  on  him 
according  to  the  moral  law,  l,">ecause  he  now  has  a  differ- 
ent character  from  that  under  ivhich  he  was  condemned; 
but  the  prosecutor  agrees  that  he  is  now  a  behever,  and 
that  he. may  be  safely  pardoned  by  the  Goveraor- 

But,  nevertheless,  the  believer,  who  is  one  party  in 
the  covenant  of  grace,  does  covenant  and  agree  with 


ICO 

God  the  F-  ther,  that  he  "wiil  "walk  before  Orod,  and  Le 
perfect."  'I'l^at  he\\ilidohis  duty  as  it  respects  him- 
self, and  his  household.  That  he  "will  train  up  his  chil- 
dren in  the  way,  in  winch  they  should  go."  x\nd  God 
promises  that  "ivhen  they  are  old,  they  sivall  not  depart 
from  it.;'  But  that  he  will  circumcise  their  heart,  and 
the  heart  of  their  seed  to  love  the  tiord  their  God,  that 
they  may  live.  Deut.  30.  6.  Jer.  32  39. — 40.  Nov*;, 
in  as  much,  as  the  covenant  of  redemption  has  made  tht 
believer's  good  character  certain,  v/e  may  feel  assured^ 
that  he,  who  began  the  good  work  in  the  believer,  wil3 
peform  it,  and  carry  it,  on,  until  the  believer's  character 
is  completed.  And  as  Christ  is  his  surety  in  the  cove- 
■nant  of  grace,  we  may  feel  confident,  that  the  covenant 
tvill  be  kept  in  such  a  way  as  that  the  believer  will  be 
Certainly  saved.  But  the  believer  may  not  keep  the 
©covenant,  as  it  respects  his  household.  Wherefore  Da- 
vid said,  this  covenant  was  well  ordered,  and  sure,  as- 
i'espected  himself  as  a  believer;  but  not  as  it  respected 
-his  household.     2.   Sam.  23.  5. 

Therefore  it  is  easy  to  see  how  this  covenant  would  be 
certainly  kept,  as  it  respects  the  believer;  and  how  it' 
may  be  broken,  as  it  respects  his  household,  x-lnd  it 
tvas  in  this  part,  that  the  everlasting  covenant  has  been 
broken.     Isa.  24.  5. 

N.  What  is  the  advantaa-e  n-ained,  by  the  believer's- 
€loinghis  duty? 

A.  The  peace  and  happiness  of  the  government  u'ill 
be  pyomoted  by  the  believer  doing  his  duty.  And  to 
secure  this  peace  and  happiness  in  the  government  a:id 
to  pi-event  mischief,  is  the  design  of  punishing  the 
sinner. 

In  the  covenant  of  grace,  the  believer  promises  to 
walk  bef';re  God  and  be  perfect.  The  Son  g  -es  ah 
surety  that  no  injury  shall  be  sustained  in  the  g'^vern- 
ment  in  consequence  of  the  believer  being  oard  nied, 
and  sa^ed.     And  the  Father  up-'-jcs  iiku   tiie   believer. 


I0"> 

may  be  pmdoned,  and  promises  the  believer  every  thin^ 
,nec_ssary  for  the  life  that  now  is,  and  that  which  is  to 
Gome  :  in  these,  and  the  like  words, — "This  is  the  cove- 
nant I  will  make  with  them  after  those  days  saith  the 
Ijord,  I  will  put  mv  laws  into  their  mind,  and  write  them 
m  tiicir  hearts ;  and  I  will  be  to  them  a  God,  and  they 
s^iall  be  to  me  a  people."  "And  their  sins  and  their  in- 
iquities will  I  remember  no  more."  Heb.  8.  10 — 12. 
And  Jere.  32.  40.  "And  I  v/i!l  make  an  everlasting 
©ovenant  with  them,  that  I  will  not  turn  away  from 
t4iem,  to  do  thern  good;  but  I  will  put  my  fear  in  their 
hearts,  that  they  shall  not  depart  from  me."  Therefore 
the  believer  shall  be  certainly  saved;  "for  his  life  is 
liidwith  Christ  in  God,"  for  safe  keepin.^.  Wherefore, 
"because  he  lives,  they  shall  live  also."  And,  "when 
Christ,  who  is  our  life,  shall  appear,  then  shall  ye  also 
appear  with  him  in  glory.  John.  14.  19.  and  Coll. 
3.  3—4. 

And  this  would  be  the  certain  result,  with  respect  to 
the  household  also,  of  believers,  if  believers  v/ould  keep 
the  covenant  in  their  generations,  as  they  ouglit  t© 
do. 

N.  Would  any  thing,  less  than  keeping  the  covenant 
perfectly,  discharge  the  believer^s  obligation,  s.)  as  ts 
secure  the  covenant  blessings  to  himself,  or  to  his  house- 
liold,  strictly  according  to  the  covenant? 

A.  JV3.  If  it  vv^ould,  that  would,  indirectly,  be  grant- 
ing the  believer  an  indulgence  to  sin  a  little  ;  which  is 
not  granted  to  him, 

N.  Then,  did,  or  will  any  believer,  ever  while  he  i& 
in  this  world,  keep  the  cov^enaat  so  perfecdy,  as  to  se- 
cure to  himself,  or  to  his  household,  the  blessings  in  a 
covenant  way;  or  strictly  in  consequence  of  him  per- 
sonaily  keeping  the  covenant,  according  to  his  a^^ree- 
ment? 

A.  No.  For  none  are  perfect  in  this  world. 

^N[,  Then,  what  is  meant  in  Gen,   18—19. 


.-.r 


!0S 

A.  Tt  means,  that  Abrabun.i  was,  and  should  be  a  good 
inan  ;  and  would  do  his  dm\  so  far,  as  tJiat  he  sh  .iiid 
have  the  blessings  So^ken  of  to  him ;  if  not  on  ;}is 
€wn  account,  according  to  his  agreement  in  the  cove- 
nant of  grac^  }et  he  should  have  them  on  the  S.  ^'s 
4)iccount,'acconhng  to  the  agreement  in  t'ie  covenant  of 
redempti  in.  So  far  as  th.e  Son  liarl.  gone  surety,  in  t'e 
«ovenant  of  grace,  Abraham  should  have  the  blessings 
©n  Christ's  account  as  surety,  accrrding  to  agret- me  .  in 
the  covenant  of  grace,  as  v.el]  as  on  the  S'^n's  accoimt 
according  to  agreement  in  the  covenant  of  redemption- 
But  so  fur  as  he  had  not  gone  surety  in  the  c:  ve  a  t  of 
•■race,  the  blessii^y-s  should  be  had  on  the  S-m's  ac^  ("jnt 
acc'/vding  to  agreement  in  the  covenant  of  reden)]:tion 
©nly. 

N.  Will  believers  be  perfect,  when  death  ends  their 
stats  of  probation? 

A.  Yes.  For  then,  their  character  is  to  be  establish- 
ed unchajigeably  good.  And  it  is  then,  that  believf-r's 
have  a  pardonable  character,  according  to  the  go  pel, 
or  law  of  faith. 

N.  When  then,  does  the  Governor  formally  grant 
his,  or  their  pardon,  according  to  the  gospel,  or  law  of 
faith? 

A.  After  the  Judge  pronounces  him  a  believer,  or 
a  pardonable  character,  at  the  general  court,  or  judg- 
ment. 

N.  Then  he  will  not,  strictly,  be  treated  as  a  sub- 
ject in  the  government,  according  to  governmevital 
principles,  ui'til  alter  the  Governor  grants  his  pardon. 

A,  Strictly,  tlie  believer  will  ■  ot  obtain  his  reward^ 
until  he  is  pardoned  ;  nor  the  hiinier  suffer  his  punish- 
mejit,  according  to  law,  until  he  is  tried  at  court.  And 
yet  they  b'^th  are  under  governme-tal  principles  fitted  t® 
the  circumstances  of  their  ca'  e. 

N.  '  hat  iiv  V  ■  .  .  ;t;  piiiicipies,  ai-e  they  under, 
antii  they  are  tried  ut  court? 


109 

A.  They  all  are  under  tlie  governmental  regulatioijk, 
■iftlled  a  reprie\ e,  uiitil  tiiey  are  tticd  at  cjaivl 

N-   Wherein  doeb  a  reprieve  differ  f  ("11  a  i.;udm? 

A-  A  pardon,  is  [^rajited  by  the  governor,  and  accjuits 
the  criminal  of  the  puiiishnieni  ait,ogether;  ai,Kl  resi  os 
him  to  all  the  rights  of  a  subject,  or  cit^en.  1  v,  iv 
reprieve  is  granted  i}y  the  judge,  and  only  su-pcinds  tiic 
punibliment  for  a  time  specified 

N.  Wherein  does  a  reprieve  differ  from  a  buiteofpr©- 
bation? 

A.  Thev  are  two  things  entirely  diferent.  The  Droba- 
t>ion  gives  him  opportunity  to  shew  iio^^  iie  willc  raiuci 
himself,  but  the  reprieve  suspends  his  punishment  for 
a  specified  time.  Our  State  of  probation  is  only  durinj^ 
®ur  temporal  lif-.  But  our  reprieve  extends  until  we  are 
tried  ;>tCvOurt,  or  at  the  general  Judgment. 

J'i-  W  hen  was  this  reprieve^  granted? 

A-  At  the  instant  after  Adam  sinned,  and  diedinlavv'i 

N.  I  should  like  to  have  this  explained  more   fully. 

A;  \\ii\\,  in  the  covenant  of  redemption,  it  was  agreed 
between  the  covenanting  parties,  that  the  Father  vv(;ukl 
send  the  Son,  and  that  the  Son  would  come  at  the  spe- 
cifieo.  tim.e,  mio  our  fallen  and  sinful  w^orld,'  and  render* 
perf  ci  obedience  to  the  law,  even  unto  death,  in  the 
mo-t  trying  suffering  circumstances.  Which  suffering 
^vas  t  b.  infiicted  bj  the  hand  of  his  Father.  On  ac- 
count f  which  ol^edience  and  suffering,the  Father  agi'eef 
tc  gi^^.  to  the  Son,  s;>many,  of  the  '.uman  family  t;<  be 
sa\e.  ,  asi]:at  the  son  should  be  perfectly  satisfied,  see 
I:  a.  55.  i— 11-  xAnd  it  was  further  agreed  that  the. 
suflci].  gol  the  Si.n,  should  constitute  the  foundatioa 
of  one  j.arr,  ot  the  system  of  governmental  prmciples, 
called  the  law  of  faith,  and  the  sulferhig,  ab  the  l.^ai 
g!' unci .  f  pardon,  sLiuldbe  called  die  atonemem,  ^-si 
accoynl  oi  vvhicii,  smners,  that  had  repented^  ^ho  ,a  be 


lio 

]pardoiiedby  the  governor.  .Aiid  the  Holy  Spirit,  agreecL 
that  he  w(HiId  come  under  the  directi'n  {>f  the  Father^ 
and  the  Son,  and  renev/  and  sanctiiy  the  hearts  of  alJ  the 
sinners,  that  were  given,  by  the  Father  to  the  Son.  It 
was  fnrthe-^igreed,  that  the  Father  would  enter  into  a 
covenant  ^\Tth  every  renewed  sinner;  and  the  Son  agreed, 
tliat  he  wcHiId  be  every  renewed  binner's  surety  in  that 
covenant,  which  is.lhe  covenant  of  grace.  It  was  also  a 
j^^eed,in  the  covenant  of  redemption,  that  the  Son  should 
be  pnvphet,  priest,  and  King  of  his  people;  and  judge  of 
all,  saints  and  sinners.  And  in  short,  it  vv'as  agreed,  that 
the  Son  should  sustain  every  office  necessary  fc  r  man.ag- 
ing  well  the  affairs  of  his  people,  for  whom  he  was  to 
become  surety  in'the  covenant  of  grace.  But  the  Son  be- 
ing so  vrell  qualified,  it  was  agreed,  in  the  covenant  of 
redemption,  that  the  Son  should  be,  aod  tliat  the  Father 
should  appoint  the  Son  Mediator,  in  the  covenant  of 
grace,  in  the  transaction  of  all  the  business  between  the 
Father,  who  was  to  be  one  party,  and  every  believer,  wh© 
^vas  to  be  the  other  party,  in  the  co^-enant  of  grace,  ia 
which  cov^^it,  the  Son  was  to  bs  surety  for  the  believer 

N.Let  itx'e^'ask,  if  the  Son's  being  surety,  and  Media- 
tor, are  the  same  thins:?  see.  Ileb.  7.  22.' and.  8.6.  and9.  15 

A.  No,  far  frcni  it.  One  might  bs  surety,  Vviiiiout 
being  a  Mediator  ;  and  he  might  be  a  Mediator,  without 
being  a  surety-.  As  surety,  the  son  is.  bound,  with  the 
behever,  by  the  covenant  of  grace,  for'  securing  the  inter- 
ests of  the  government.  As  Mediator,  the  Son  .  \/ 
b(iund  by  the  covenant  of  gra(  e,  but  by  hisagreenieut  iiiA^ 
the  covenant  of  ref 'en  pticn,  and  by  his  acceptance  in  the 
api  ok.tnient  of  Mediator,  between  the  Father,  and  beli- 
e-^er.  /rd  as  Me  Jatcr,  tl^e  Son  is  equally  bound  lo  at- 
Itnd,  to  die  iniertst^  oiboth  parties,  in  the  covenar»i  ol 
{^lace.  And  tl  at  1  e  n  ight,  inairage  all  the  business  well^ 
the  Fathtr^eii  g  in\esied  >\ith  dl  :^upreme  auth^-nty 
b\  lie  covcia  tci  tcdemption,' delegated  all  tl  ;  ■  .;  I 
prcnie  authority  to  the  Son  un.tii  tiie  Son  shall  finish  ail 


iU 

iiie  uuish-icss,  for  wliicli  he  receved  it;  and  then  he  will 
delive!  up,  all  that  snore  a5  autJirrity  t)  Gvl,  ev3;i  the 
F;i  '(  A'-  Now  while  the  S  )!i  holds  this  Siipreme  aiithorit)':, 
he  c:iu  do  whatsoever  ;i ;  :<)2\3es,  in  confor.nity  with  the 
ei):l,  r>r  which  he  r^c^ir::!  it,  ia  th^  iia'ivei^I  ;^)v^3r:i-- 
moot.  vVhsrefore  as  soin  as  V  l\  n  sinied,  Wtd  died  in 
lav,  the  Son  cane  f)rward  in  accordance  with  his 
app ointiTie'it  as  Miliitor,  an:l  hs  aop":)!  its  :1  a  ^'iiiral 
G^nirt,  or  jud^^neat.  And  he  appointed  a  new  state  of  oro- 
bation  to^'ida'Tiand  his  laniily,  which  is  durin;^  te.iiporal- 
Hfe;  and  an  end  to  that  state  of  probation, w^hich  is  teimporal 
4eath;  and  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  in  due  time  to  come 
tb  ju'-lgrnent.  And  as  jul:^'e,  he  suspended  the  punish- 
ment of  Adam  and  his  fa  ndy,  until  they  shall  be  tried 
at  court.  And  this  suspension  of  thir  punish  nent,  is  a 
reprieve  granted  them,  which  will  be  out  at  court,  when 
liiey  are  tried.  NTow  this  reprieve  is  a  g'overn  nental  reg- 
ulation, that  fits  the  circu  nstances  of  the  \vh  3ie  liu  nan 
il\mily,  for  it  was  o-ranted  to  the-ii  as  sinners;  and  if  any  of 
thenishould  become  of  a  mixt  character,  as  christians,  still 
nothinQ:couId  be  done  with  any  of  them,  on  ffovernienta! 
principles, contrary  to  thereprierejUntil  thereprieve  i.'^  oat. 
N.  Why  might  it  not.  have  been  decided,  in  the  cov- 
e^iant  of  redemplion,  that  the  believer's  character  should 
be  established  good,  as  soon  as  he  became  a  believer? 
A.  ills  wliole  life  was  appointed  as  his  state  of  pro- 
bation, which  was  to  end  at  his  death;  but  liis  probati)ii 
i  would  I'lave  been  ended,  when  he  became  a  believer; 
l^jf  ills  character  had  been  established  then:  and  there 
'  would  have  been  an  inconsistency   in   this. 

N.  If  a  believer  becomes  a  pardonable  character, 
when  it  is  dscided,  and  established  good,  at  the  end  of 
his  probation ;  ;^nd  if  the  governor  ibrmaliy  grants  his 
pardon,  after  hi  s-  aded  at  court;  then  how  can  die  be; 
said  to  be  pardoned,  or  fjrgiven,  at  me  time  he  ue- 
comes  a  believer?  How  can  it  be  -said  to  him,  '-thy  siu;^- 
are  for  driven  thee?'^ 


1 13  , 

A.  Only  in  this  sense;  ir  is  certain  he  will  he  par- 
do;  ec'  at  ihe  pioj^er  tune,  or  after  he  is  tried  at  court. 
Ar,'-i  he,  "that  knows  all  things,  can  speak  of  things  that 
are  lot,  asth';ugh    they  were." 

The  belie-iver  is  really  in  that  state,  or  standing  in  the 
coA-enarit  of  grace,  that  pardon  is  promised  hira,  and 
he  will  certainly  obtain  it.  And  in  this  view  of  his 
certam  pardon,  after  he  is  tried  at  court,  he  nia*.  he 
treated  now,  as  if  he  were  already  pardoned,  in  every 
thing, 'that  can  be  done  for  him  now,  consistently  v.ith 
his  state  of  probation,  his  state  of  reprieve,  and  hiG 
state  (''f  pard(Hi,  after  his  reprieve  is  out,  when  he  is 
tj'ied  at  court.. 

N.  Then  it  would  be  folly  for  a  believer  to  say,  that 
he  knows. all  his  present,  past,  and  future  sins  are  al- 
ready pardoned,  and  that  he  ought  not  to  pray  for  the 
pardon  of  his  sins;  because  that  they  are  aheady  par- 
doned. 

A.  Yes,  it  would  be.  perfectly  incorrect.  Wherefore 
-the  believer  ought  to  discharge  his  duty,  according  t© 
jkis  covenant  engagement.  But  he  does  not  do  it  per- 
fectly ;  therefore  he  ought  to  pray  for  the  pardon  of  all 
Ilissins,  that  are  past,  and  his  present  failings,  which  par- 
don is  promised  him  at  its  proper  time,  and  he  will  ob- 
tain it,  as  certainly,  as  if  that  pardon  was  already  giant- 
ed.  And. also,  he  should  pray  to  be  preserved  from  fu- 
ture sins,  according  to  the  divine  promise. 

N.  Did  the  Divine  Being  either  covenant,  or  promise 
to  preserve  the  believer  from  all  sin,  v.hile  he  is  in  this 
world? 

A.  No.  If  he  had,  it  would  have  been,  indirectly,  pro- 
:^\iseing  to  end  his  state  of  probatioji,  before  the  pro- 
per time,  by  establishing  his  character,  bef:)re  his  death. 

N.  If  a  believer  should  pray  to  be  preserver!  from  all 
sin,  now  in  this  .world  ;  is  it  likely  that  such  a  piayer 
tvould  be  answered? 

A.  iNo.  It  is  to  be  suspected,  that  there   would   be 


anore   zerd,    tliau    wisdom,   or    goodness,     in   such  e.. 

N.  T't^n,  what  is  -^leant,  in  Math.  6.   13.  and  Luke..- 
11    4.   "But  deliver  us  frou  evil? 

A.  Tiatisthe  ri^ht  way  to  nray.  The  saviour  said^ 
'*T'iy  will  he  done  on  earth,  as  it  is  in  heaven."  Where- 
fore it  would  hi  n'3;ht  to  say;  deliver  us  froii  all  evil,  or 
fr  )ni  all  sin,  and  pain,  according  to  thy  will.  And  suck 
a  praver  of  a  believer  would  be  certainly  answered.  But 
the  believer  has  been  co  u  nanded,  and  it  is  his  duty 
to  quit  all  sin,  and  walk  before  God,  and  be  perfect :  al 
thou-?h  T  think  he  will  fail  to  do  so, 

N.  If  the  believer  was  to  quit  all  sin,  and  do  his  duty 
perfectly,  as  he  has  been  conimanaed  ;  would  that  enl: 
his  state  of  probation? 

A.  No;  for  that  would  not  establish  his  character; 
and  it  would  be  uncertain,  how  long  he  would  continue 
to  do  his  duty. 

N.  If  it  be  certainly  true,  that  no  believer  has,  or  v/ill^ 
in  thi  ■.  world,  so  keep  the  covenant  personally,  as  to  se^ 
cure  to  himself,  or  to  his  household,  the  bussing,  pure- 
ly on  account  of  himself  keeping  the  covenant ;  and 
that  after  all,  v/hatever  blessings  he  gets,  will  be  granted 
him,  on  the  account  of  Christ  only,  either  as  his  suretj^- 
in  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  or  else  according  to  the  agree* 
ment  in  the  covenant  of  redemption  :  what  was  the  uso 
of  making  that  covenant  with  the  believer.? 

A.  It  was  wise,  and  good,  for  God   to  deal   with  the 

believer,  as  with  an  intelligent,  rational,  accountable  a- 

gent,     .^nd  the  wisdom,  and  goodness  of  God,  and  the 

beautv  of  the  covenant  are  nothino*  the   less,  of  the  be- 

lievpr  having  failed  to  keep  the  covenant.     And   by  thi^j 

covenant,  the  believer,  may  learn  to  know  himself,  that  he 

is  a  cov=?nant  breaker,  as  well  as  a  law  breaker.  And  also. 

tha    Gorl  is  wise,  and   good,  first  according  to  law;   and 

ther,  ov   ;  a  b  oken  'aw,  according  to  the  covenar.r ;   and 

next,  over  a  broken  covenant,  in  §'oing  on  to  do,  for  livft 

J  ?. 


114 
b^lie^'er,  on  llie  account  of  Christ,  many  thini^s,  th.ir 
■-hoiild  have  been  done  for  him,  on  his  own  accouiit  also, 
if  he  had  kept  the  covenant  perfectly  as  he  ought.  I  d'j 
not  mean  tliat  the  covenant  is  broken  in  every  sense^ 
•^  "'  that  the  believer  gets  nothing  accordin-^- to  the  cove- 
ii.iiU;  fori  say  the  covenant  is  kept,  so  far  as  the  sure- 
ty engaged  in  it,  and  the  believer  obtains  those  blessings 
according  to  the  covenant,  on  account  of  his  surctv,  but 
Jiot  because  the  believer  discharged  his  duty  according 
to  his  agreement.  But  the  nearer  the  believer  comes  to 
discharjnnji:  his  duty  in  keeoino:  the  covenant,  the  bet- 
ter  he  is  prepared  for  receiving  the  blessings  himself; 
and  the  more  likelihood  there  is  that  God  will  bless  the 
well  doing  of  the  believer  to  the  advantage  of  his  house- 
hold, and  others  ;  and  the  more  likelihood  there  is  that 
God  will  also  bless  the  believer,  in  blessino;  his  house- 
hold,  and  others,  on  account  of  the  son,  according  to 
his  agreement  in  the  covenant  of  redemption, 

N.  Nov.-  let  me  ask  you;  what  does  the  Saviour  mean, 
In  Math.  21.  22.  and  John,   14.   13? 

A.  lie  means,  that,  if  the  believer  shall  ask,  in  faith, 
and  prayer,  in  the  Saviour's  name,  for  any  thing  he  needs, 
or  Vv-ants,  lie  shall  have  it  on  the  Son's  account,  ac- 
cord! nsr  to  the  covenant  of  redemption.  And  therefore 
alfcough  this  one  good  act  of  the  believer,  is  not  keep- 
ing the  covenant;  yet  if  he,  in  faith,  and  prayer,  in  the 
Son's  name,  shucld  ask  for  the  conversion  of  his  child, 
or  his  household,  or  any  other  thing,  he  should  obtain 
it," on  the  Son's  account,  as  was  said  before;  so  great  is 
the  mercy,  and  goodness  of  God,  through  his  Son  Jesus 
€in-ist,  our  Lord  :  To  whom,  with  the  Father,  and  Holy 
Spirit,  three  persons  in  one  God,  wh.ose  eternal  God. 
head  has  beep  manii'ested  through  the  covenant  of  re- 
den- plion,  a'ld  the  covenant  of  grace,  be  equal  and  ev' 
erlasting  prdises. 


1-15 


N.  I  would  like,  if  convenient  frlc-nd  A--^'^  to  hear 
yon  unfold  the  plan  of  Salvation. 

.  .4.  Well,  in  order  to  understand  this  plan,  1st  it  be 
Itept  in  mind  throughout,  that  the  Divi'ie  Bein?^  has  a 
most  noble  end  in  view.  He  has  always  intended  to  . 
display  his  perfect  character  in  its  true  li;':^'ht,  that  is,  to 
the  very  highest  and  best  advantage,  before  an  intelli- 
gent universe ;  by  bringing  out  the  greatest  amount  of 
holiness  and  happiness  in  the  created  universe.  What 
Gould  be  a  higher  and  nobler  e;rd  than  thri?  This  end 
he  proposes  to  accomplish  in  the  best  manner,  by  a- 
dopting  a  most  complete  system  of  governmental  prin- 
e-iples,  and  by  governing  his  intelligent  universe  accord- 
ing to  the  in. 

Now  while  we  examine  those  principles  which  lead 
to  the  grand  end  just  stated,  if  we  wish  clearly  to  un- 
derstand them,  v/e  must  keep  continually  in  view  the 
dnd,  to  which  they  lei\d  directly ;  else  v/e  set  out  on  a- 
journey,  not  having  fixed  it  in  our  minds,  v/hither  w^e 
are  going,  and  of  course  can  make  no  definite .  enquiries 
about  the  way. 

This  system  of  governmental  principles  consists  of 
f-zvo  parts,  the  Law,  and  the  Gospel. 

We  v/ill  now,  speak  of  the  first  part,  which  is  calleS 
She  law. 

The  Law,  is  that  part  of  these  governmental  princi- 
■pies,  gi\en  expressly  for  the  use  and  advantage  of  the 
innocent.  It  considers  all  the  subjects,  as  innocent,  till 
proved  guilty.  This  is  evident,  because  it  would  b6 
•unreasonable  that  the  law  should  suppose  any  one  guil- 
ty without  proof,  for  if  it  did,  it  would  go  on  to  punish 
Xvithout  proof.  N  'W  this  principle  is  the  same  in  all 
t\'ell  regulated  communides.  human  or  divine.  Thus' 
this  law  was  given  to  angels  in  a  state  of  innocencyj  and. 


1  iis 

\.\)  Ad-\n\  in  u'.:aue  (U  innocency,  and  it  co'isiders  all 
ii;!  '"r:nt  till  ';roved  rmiitv. 

1;  .:;•')':'  proper  to  state  hQ^e,  tbal  Law  is  a  "iile 
])rescriDcd  by  thie  supreme  authority,  commanding  w-.at 
IS  ri-^ht,  and  farblddinL'^  udiat  is  wrong. 

This  law  oHers  everlasting  life,  as  a  reward  to  the 
obedient,  a'ld  -'i.-i-jtens  everlasting  pirnisa'aent  as  a 
penalty  to  the  transgressor.  This  law  m::<reov^r  an- 
swers two  va; liable  purposes; — the  one  is,  to  guard  the 
•mnocent  against  the  lawless; — the  other  is,  as  a  rule 
it  measures  the  straightest,  nigh  est  dis  Lance  beiu-een 
two  given  points,  namely  the  heart  of  the  subject,  a;id 
end  of  the  government. 

So  then  every  deviation  from  this  rule,  is  a  departure 
fnom  the  proi)er  course,  and  the  Bible  calls  it  *'a  trans, 
gression  of  the  law."  This  is  perfectly  true,  at  least 
with  the  Divine  law,  which  says  "thou  shalt  love  the 
"Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  thy  neighbour  as 
thyself.'' 

Short  as  this  may  appear,  it  embraces  all   the  events- 
in  God's  moral  Kmgdo'n,  that  mere  law  could  embrace. 
The  Bible  adds  no  supplernent  to  this  lav/,  but  it  is  true^- 
<lraws  many  conclusions  from  it. 

N.  May  I  detain  you  a  moment  for  the  sake  of  ai| 
•fexample  or  two? 

A.  Yes;  and  a  short  one  is  this  ; — Love  vrorketh  no 
ill  to  anyone  ;"  if  it  did  the  law  wmid  require  us  t© 
tv^-rk  some  ill  to  some  persons.  Another  conclusion 
fr  >m  the  law  is,  that  it  is  the  nature  of  love  t?i 
do' good  to  the  object  beloved,  otherwise  the  law  would 
not  reach  the  end  of  government;  This  temper  of 
henrt  which  the  law  inculcates,  will  ever  "render  unto^ 
Ccesar,  the  things  that  be  Caesar's,  and  unto  God  the 
fhii^gs  that  are  God's." 

Alter  this  manner  conclusions  may  be  drawn  fro  la 
ftis  law  to  fit  all  moral  events,  dov/n  throii.:n   evcriast- 


tin 

m^i;  a'^es':  ^*h]s  inofal  lii«v,  the  'nhh  calls  "the  law  ci' 
warks  (u'.) 

N.I  understand  you  su^Ticiently,  on  the  first  part  of 
th-'se  o'overntnental  priaciples:  pi  ease  proceed  t)  the 
other  part  (if  them. 

A.  U'ell,  what  I  understand  by  the  ot/wr  fjart  of  this 
great  and  compjete  syst'^  n  of  y^  we/n  n^v!«:al  principles, 
is  this.      ThexvhoU-  Go -pel  througli  a.  liede-^mer. 

x\nd  Lhis  part  is  adooted  express!}'  f^^ir  the  use  and 
advantage  of  transgressors,  who  have  been  proved 
guiltvand  are  condemned  to  die.  ''For  the  son  of  maij 
is  come  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost. "(6) 

This  gospel  plan  which  forms  the  other  part  of  the 
system  of  govern'Tiental  principles  is  as  efficient  in  its 
place,  and  as  stable,  in  its  nature,  and  as  per^nanent  in 
duration,  as  the  law  of  works  itself.  "Seeing  he  evet 
Eveth  to  make  intercession,  and  is  able  to  save  to  tha 
tittermost."(c) 

This  part  of  the   complete  system  is  called   by  tli5 

4-postle  "the  Law  of  Faith. "(</) 

N.  Now  if  I  understand  your  position,  it  is  this.; 
that  these  two  parts,  the  lavv^  of  works  and  the  law  of 
faith,  cor;jointly  form  the  one  complete  and  perfeol 
3}''stem  of  divine  governmental  principles,  according  to 
which,  the  Divine  Governor  Vvdll  rule  the  Universe 
through o u t  e te r nity ? 

A.  Precisely  so.  And  it  might  be  shewn  here,  how 
these  tv/o  parts  of  the  syste^n  do  reciprocally  honour 
and  support  each  other. 

N.  Please  shew  for  the  present,  how  the  law  of 
faith,  or  whole  gospel  plan  ■  does  actually  honour  and 
support  the  law  of  works? 

A.  \i\  doing  this,   it  will  be  necessary  to  'j;;  >   into   ati 

aiioin.  Q<.   'i.7-,     i' c?ee  Luite^giy.  10.     c  ileb,   7.  SJ.  rf  ri^jman?-. 

3,    9J. 


11^ 

CKplanation  of  tlie  atonerrjcnt.*  Wliich,  i.s  tjie  very 
fouDclatio:'!,  of  this  last  part  of  the  r^overnmental  prin- 
ci]:]es,  we  have  iiist  cor. si j^.-: red. 

N.  I  Am  i^lad  of  that,  f  )r  I  have  waited  to  hear  you 
mcnfion  theat'inernent. 

A.  Weil  ther,  to  be  concise  as  possil>!e,  I  understand 
that  the  o!)edient  suffiri'v^s  of  Christ  a  U )  death  coasti- 
tute  the  atone.iient,  which  is  the  f  )Lin  lation  of  the  wh.>le 
gospel  plan.  His  obedient  sUiFerings,  remember;  for  his 
mere  sufFerini^rs  would  not  have  answered  -without  his  o- 
^edience,  nor  Ids  obedience  either,  without  his  sufFerin?^s. 

N.  please  stop  a  moment,  and. tell,  by  wliat  authority  " 
sufferings  were  inflicted  at  all,  on  the  holy  S  jn? 

J)id  God  as  Governor  or  law  raaintainer,  iniiict 
them  by  way  of  a  penalty  of  the  divine  lav/,  or  were 
tliey  iiifiicted  on  him  in  some  other  way,  than  by  a 
legal  process? 

A.  they  v/ere  not  inflicted  on  him  by  the  Divine 
Being  in  any  cf  his  official  capacities  nor  according 
to  any  legal  process. 

N.   Well,  how  come  lie  to  sv.ffer,  as  he  evidently  did. 

A.   You  reitfefeiber    v;e    contemplated  the   Deity  as 
existing    in     three     equal     persons     or      subsistinces., 
these     three       entered     into      a     covenaiit        m';^! 
the     covenant    of    redemption,    now    a  covenant    is 

*Ati>iie!nent  Tiie  atoni-m-Mit  is  t?)o  ihu'i  i  uii)  i  .»f  i,n>-  -a  iole 
anspt'l  j.ljin.or  lav/oJ'faiih,  i'hesuff^-in^^s  oftnL-Son  of  God  ;u)n:)i-eti 
\h-'  y;uv(.T!ior  ulio  is  by  ciVic';'-,  m  linrainer  of  law.  I  use  the  wonl— 
•maiiitaiiier"  of  law;  becaune  the  Lt.v  of  works  atnl  the  law  o\  fasth, 
huh  lagtuher  coiistiiute  ihe  syst«(U  oi  Divin-  taw,  which  the  Ds.ine 
G;)Vorii()r,  isby  ufi'.ce,  haund  to  iniiut.iisij  atut  hii  is  eq;ial!y  o vind 
ti)  mairitiin  botli  parts  of  the  sysiesn  ^f  law.  The  cirrumj'.ijMces 
oftiiB  Divine  Governor  are  very  diSVrent,  ami  iriliniilv  in  )re  per- 
feci  and  systeiniitic^  thin  the  r,irLUinit;VHc;iS.  of  a  lu-iiau  G<>vvruor. 
A  iiiiiiVin  gu^erndris  only  bound,  bv=iltjce,  to  execute  lise  veaierjce 
of  the  law,  upon  the  Ciindtiin  tcd  cr;:;>.itna!;  exnpr  hf  may  b>^  author- 
isid,  (o  {ji'.rd'.)!},  acrif«;nal;  .f  !ii',  t -e  j^o\e  aot-,  'hi'i'c  t':  c-!ud.-^m- 
t!C(i  criiTiiiiJi),  may  bt  piidnivd,   i  oi:>-.:s:e.-.;;  >    \v  ■  -  c;c-'od 

\''.     '  ''uie     ''.:L'    huuKitt    givernor  Is   jirij-oiiy     eaouo.-i   cahed-^' 


cui  ajJTeement  between  i\.i>  or  more  parties.    The  di- 
vine persoiis  evidently  did  make  an  agrv erne nt  which  is 
•ailed  that  coxenant,  as  tnay  be' seen   aLHiiilr.ntly    in  th^ 
sacred    scriptures.     I  have,  macie  a  covcni-a-ii  with   mv 
ehosen.'- cs?c.  (e)  And  between  perfect  cqufils,  it  is  iui- 
possible  that  one  hhould   have. any  authority    over    the 
©ther  except  by  aiiitua!   agree-Vieiit.   It  i:^  ovidcut  there 
was  this   agreenieiii,  or  coveiii":       ■'  '"  :■,'! 

Second   Persons,  that   is    bet.   .  :  ;,- 

Son,  tliat  the  Second  shoui'i  (•  ._^  ::ie 

iime    he    did    come; — tl;    .    ::         :         :  . 

those  obedient   suiieniigs  unc;-;:  ir  -    \  ,  ;       .   ;ij, 

render.     "I  come  not,  (said  he ^   to   ■_:.:;.,       .,,■.,  Vv:..i,'' 
'^a  body  hast  thou  prepared    me.     This   rjrimiuidnirjnt 
have  I  r-ecei ved  of    ny   Father."(/  .-  .,    :   .  _  . 

tliat  the  Father  d:u  rti;'       ;,      :    ;    .ihiL  l.  .d 

to  come  isevideiic.     '-j^ .   .:  .^ine  in  i   .__  ,  ,_  ,  ■;.     ,_    ^^--^ 
Book  it  iswiiiten  of  me,  I  deli^^ht  to  d  ;  i\.v  .v...  ^jI    my 
G.jd,  yea  thy  hiw  is  within  ID}'  ii^;A:i."     l:\  c:  ,  ,.    ...  ,:ce 

of  liie  Son,  on  iiis  part  agre .:  i       :  '  .-;di -it 

suiicrinti^s  unto  death,   unc'ir    ■..    .    .-.,   _......;  ::_:j:o  on 

his  part  diat  the   Sonshoii'.l   --^.-j   cl  tiie   tra/aii  oi  his 
Suu:,''  "until  He  be  ^ai:bliid/"(i;j 

]Ni<nv' keeping  in  mind  Y:hiit   has  been   stated  .'..;- 
equaht}-    and  agreemei  t,    and  you    will  see    chai   :.-,- 

Jir  ,    J.  30.   i;  i'^u.  J  >,  i  i. 

Exfciuor  <»i  law  •  t'ji  lie  e;:eciites  ihe   sciitarice  of  la'.v,    r-   ,-.'    ':'.    ■  t^ 
til-  (Ircsii^i  Of  a  t  i)'.!-!  i.rhnv,  aiid    j'Jwiico.     But    Mie    •_  ;  .v- 

eriui.  is  by  oIIh  e' eq'.tt  I'l   buudd  tu  putush  the  \irJ:  -.i.i.iu:- 

do'  till-  i;eiievi.'i  J  .'.cnudiu'^  to  ^he  sentaure  of  ih-  I.:..,  [/.  ..,,0Li  'J 
bv  ■'  hgh  I'oi'ii  .>;  lueiiv  an;!  i;:a:.'.-.  H-  is.  ■Ivi  ciur^;,  more  piope.r:j, 
to  be  caiied' MdHiiaisK  r  of  laaf;t;.;iii  Exeiu^or.  Now,,  the  sjuiier. 
iiJli*  li  thi'  Siin  ot  G-.;d'  prove,  to  Hie  wnivo-sc,  ihat  the  D'.  ine 
Gi'>eriii'i- i?.  v.,  infiiiiieh  G  :'■!!,  ib:;t  he  will  ;ki  fi-cU  v  r;;.-L;tv.o  .he- 
.Juu,  Oil  bo'li  siiU-s.  so  well  as  to  secure  li'.e  hiu'liest  goDit  •  the 
.goV^^rniiie:^*,  Anri  b  n-ause  the  suff-iioirs  of  tl^e  Sosn  wo'iUI  -  ^b- 
lis..  Hpj  -r-i',if:-t  fh>  I  !iar,H  ter  nt  t]..  ■,..-■:  .< 'isH  so  i:,{i  >'■•'  :•^i^ 
llie  Diviiie  Legislator  euacied  tnat   Uiebe   siiSeru;gs  uf  uic  tioii? 


J20 

-y-vhole  obedient  sufierings  o;  the  Son  Look  place  uierelv 
and  exc'iusivtlv  ucc'rciii^g  to  his  at^Teeneiii  vi-'^.the 
Fai!  ei.  You  will  peceiv'-:  also,  tiiat  tiiey  were  u'ttictec^ 
fe\  the  FatheracciTcliKgtc  this  very  u-reement,  audnot 
according  to  an\  law,  or  legal  piece  .b  waate\  er. 

N.  I  see  now  the  authf  rity   It.r  Chri-t's  obedient  suf- 
ferings, hut  wh)  did  they  take  ]  ace  at,  ali? 

A.   One  reascn   ^\hy  they    .( ok   place  is  this.     The 
gosj^e!  plan,  or  law  of  faiih"  O'    s  -ally  iionour  the  law 
fef  -works,  as  we  \i  ere  to  sliew  ^   m       ^-^^  siiice. 
'   N.    Ii-.;w    dees    it  hojicur    ar.d    support  the   Jaw  cf 
works? 

A.  A  little  patient  i]iv2stip;ationvvill  teil  how.  Thb 
g;rar.d  and  noble  eiid  \\hlc:\  Deity  was  ^^-^  '■■-''  ■  '^^ 
Gcriain  governmental  priciples  has  been  s^aucL  ...'.i  i;.!geSj^ 
115-16.  But  this  end  could  not  be  reached  unles  those 
principles  were  perfectly  good.  And  to  secure  ihis 
g-reat  end  of  oovernment,  it  is  nt  cessarv  that  all  nmo- 
eient  subjects  should  have  the  highest  happiness,  of 
which  their  natures  are  susceptible,  Now  to  secure,  this 
highest  happiness,  it  is  ntedfui  t'ai  tliey  feel  the  higli- 
es-  confiderce  in  that  2'0\er;;riieiit  undei  which  they 
live;  a}jd  to  secure  this  highest  confid.ence,  they  must 
l:>e  felly  convhiced  of  Lw<'  important  particulars,  that  the 
Law  is  good:  and  that  it   iii.iil    be  i'lainiained,  ^  o  as  t© 

ii:g  hi  G  » I  rti  r  u  g:a  i  piirts -a  to  .^vvij  bi:..U''^!-ij  {.if  in>  vci.ii- 
de  t  f  could  be  i<.rt  in  tht' gen  em  nt'iT,  bv  inui  fiuao'Ug;  but  ri>t!:t"rj 
on  lb'  other  ban-,;.  !u'  oieat  ■-.*  ■  I'.rijr  i  ■  !,-.  ttiK  g'-v^T.  meni  «iuld 
be  t  Xi  Med,  a»)"  t'ne  I  rid  <.f  govei  innet.t  pioniiiietl  atui  secuiKi,  lu^ 
Ihes,  cuff,  i  ing^,  al\\.i>-s,  keep  tie  gcodnes^  oi  '1)'-  I'  vi  rr.(ti  IQ 
\it\v.  vvbile  he  v.r.'iifs  i;aifi(>n.  puielv  on  aceuunt  of  thosi;  ^uftermgSj 
as  o    ii!\v. 

Bnl  let'ii  be  ■  .  elu!!y  n-'tiied.  tiiat  ihe  GoveriKT  lOii'ii  >•"  gntnt 
pa!*l  n  t-  at  y  oii<.  pu'ei\  and  baiely  on  account  o!  in  so  suii  r^^g-,:- 
as  I,  eie  suSe  iri;;-;  Icr  fbi  mere  b  itrejiiig^.  of  \\\v  Soiu  in  tin  ift- 
sei^e>  » >  iisiit  »■  (I  asba'.e  sufi'iii'^^c,  i  ou  d  no;  -u  liorise  i!  e  Uov 
^mt'i  '(>  giat)  p  id..  .  til  ai  >  '  i!  But  .  s  b.  a'-s^e,  the_).  an^uer- 
*Pg  I'icjpur^ostt  bg  vytll;  liie  Divine  LegisiutOi   adopted   iliem,,  as  fi 


1»I 

'IcGiire   the    gi-and    end     oi'    v^overnmeftt. 

N.  Please  exphiin  these  two  parci-  u  ars  more  ful- 
ly. 

A.  Well,  one  particular  in  securing  the  highest  con- 
fidence in  the  government,  is  this:  (haiaii  ijuioceni  subr 
jects,  should  be  coinpletely  onvinced  that  the  law  is  ho- 
H',  just,  and  good, 

N.  But  h(nv  shall  they  find  this  oui? 

A.  To  see  this,  they  should  stu^:!}  and  examine  it^ 
under  the  most  favourable  circumstaiiccs.  If  tiie\  d® 
this,  they  will  be  perfectly  satisfied,  that  the  law  is  holy 
just,  and  g")od,  so  far  as  t  ley  a  i:l:;rsi:a  li  it. 

But  it  is  i'Tipossible  f  )r  a!iy  created  being  to  under- 
stand that  law,  in  all  its  Viiri  )us  bearings  d  )wn  tharugh 
eternit}^  for  thev  ka).v  n  )i  what  s  >  tu  lar  .)iT  iluure 
day,  might  possibly  bring  iorth.  T^iey  iies.l  t'leref  jre, 
the  certain  opinion,  of  som^  one,  whom  tiiey  knovv  to 
be  \yell  qualified,  and  a  perfect  Judge  of  all  its  bearings, 
in  order  t )  their  arriving  at  this  fullest  highest  co.ifi- 
dence  in  the  government. 

The  Divine  Redener  the  Son  is  this  well  qualified, 
and  perfecr  judge.  And  ail  ratioiai  creatures  have  lis 
certain  opinii>n  on  it.  .  For  if  he  had  not  thought  the 
law  to  be  h;)ly,  jast,  a;id  g)j!,  perfictlv  so;  he  never 
would  have  coaie  under  it,  he  never -wadd  have    ri;  :  ler- 


lavvoT  tin*  euvp,  n  tiei)'^:  a.ui,  ihc  i  .^e,  t  .y  ;-i  a  ■  ;  ;J  ■  ;;  •■  wi- 
mfntfo-!!ip  p'iriKiS'-.  u^h-»i;z,^-  ill':' guveriiof  f.>  izi.snt  [)ard*i;i;  i;  i^;  t'le 
a'V.  t!irt'  g-  s  t'l^iin'V'O  fiie  i  -  ■nir.  \a  i  as  the^'^  S^iffei  ings- 
ofC  irisf  ,r,-?  ,i  I  .p:  -1  )■«•  I'l--  ;)[  !  L-;  ii  ^-as  Ipiw.  r)i-.  Ie<ra'  >lTO- 
urul  uf  puid<>ii.  au  h(H  z:n^  rin  (icvei'M-r  lo  ^.raiit  pH!(!<;:i.  thvy  uie 
til"  atonmicnt  >»ii  ac- -ijiir  (if  A-iii  i.  p.inloii  i»  gruJiti-d.  Ai  d  be'-a- 
«se  Chri>t  Suff  r  -  ',  in  ■■■,riWr  th.u  i.is  Siiffefi.:j;;s  ini^lit,  and  sb -uld 
be  adopted,  as  .li.-  Irgat  ground  of  pudtfji,  or  law  a  I'iioriz  uj;  ;he 
Govei-no.r  t>>'n  .n-  ,->anio-.;  it  is  s;^d.  tha'  {''vi^t  n-ade  '-e  AfOMemtut 
and  this  maiUH-i  >  <:,  ;ik  'r  a;>!)  •  .r-;  t  ,  b  ■  ';u('  tuvy\^z}.\',  when  its^ 
well  undHotod  t.  V".-t  i  if*  ui-.v  'esi.rn^.r  -A^q  .iiif-a.,  these  <vf)  ds, 
to  wit,  di;;t  (hri-f-  -ade  'he  ':toneme',t.  Bus  if- sp'-ak*  (n..ie  nti  ti- 
phjsica  1>  >ti ..  .  !v  !i  it  -iv-..-- "T  ^!  ough  Ins  ui.rt  i-  pr.  ,iched: 
unto  yuu  tiie  iorgiviita:*  ol  sius."     Acts.    13,   08.     And    Rom-  -f 


1S2 

Qd  obedknee  to  it,  in  such  awfully  trying,  uninvitinig. 
ana  .-u,.ciii!g  circuiiistances.  It  is  the  oi)-:;'ii'.  iice  -i' tlie 
•Sen,  gives  this  testimony  in  favour  of  the  law,  and  t'ne 
peculiar  suffering  circuinstanctis  in  which  he  rendered 
tliat  (obedience,  constitutes  the  obedience  a  more  unsus- 
picious, and  honourable  testimony  in  favour  oi'  the 
lavv ,  wherefore  by  doing  this  "he  hath  magnified  the 
law  and  made  it  honourable,"  or  in  otiier  words  he  has 
honoured  and  supported  the  law  in  the  most  full  and 
perfect  manner. 

N.  I  like  \AeIl  your  unfolding  of  the  first  particular^ 
and  shall  feel  n<na  little  obligated  if  you  do  as  much 
justice  to  the  second,  which  you  have  stated  to  be  this. 
Tliat  the  Divine  Governor  will  so  maintain  the  law  as 
to  serure  the  grand  end  of  government.  If  t'le  inno- 
ce?u  subjects  are  also  fully  convinced  of  this  particular, 
they  have  every  thing  that  can  he  called  for,  to  com- 
plete, and  to  perpetuate  their  very  highest  confidence, 
in  th.t  happy  government  which  they  live  under. 

A.  Well,  the  obedient  sufferings  of  the  Son  give 
evidence  of  th?s  second  particular,  equally  satisfactory, 
and  complete,  and  convincing.  They  shew  that  the 
Divine  Governor  wiil  so  maintain  the  la-.v  as  to  secure 
the  grand  end  of  governm.eiU.  It  is  the  sufferings  of 
the  Son,  give  testimony  in  favnu'  of  tlie  governor's 
11.  "Tl.ruiigli  O'-r  L:>rii  J  ••lih  C'lrist.  bv  wlion  we  ■ii\f  idh  iC- 
ceive.;!  the  atoiieun-'it."  0  ,  reconciliationj  a-;  st  (>ny;ht  ti)  liuve 
been  trrUislated.  Btit  it>  irue.  that  thi4!ua;!i  Chtij.t.  the  lau  for 
pai  lion,  or  atonemiuU  has  come;  iirui  by  him  leonriiiation  has  b -^-en 
a-eteived,  or  has  taken  pltce..  For  tae  atunement.  «>rlaw,  tor  jar- 
don  i>*  the  propeigr.tur.d  of,   or  fur  pei-fect  reconciliation. 

There  has  been  many  noion'^  in  the  worhl,  tlu.ut  liie  aTolietrien  t; 
and  tlie  greater  part  cif  tl.o^^e  n«>ii«»ni-,  very  vojiue  m.f  •?>•<'! '»ct. 
3>]iii!»  d.srknt'ss  h;\s  b-en  ihrosvn  on  the  subj -ct,  by  miuy,  that 
h3\e  triid  'o  explain  it.  T'K'V  ai:iy  deserv  <■  p:.iise  for  their  i>;Md 
intcsition;  but  the  wi.ild  ha^  oc<  iision  to  feel  surrv  their  <  ffori;.  h  ive 
proved  sn  unsucee^slu'.  I  a  >  i'lclincd  to  t  i.ik.  it  would  take,  i  ii 
old  sluilent.  trnineil  up  in  diDse  ersois.  n-i,  i-sies  moie  tii!iit»:e»8 
get  shut  of  thtnt.;  than  it  would  take  a  nt^v  one,    to.lesru  the  trulls 


\2H 

character,  and  the  Son's  ob.:;'lience  renders  his  suftei- 
m^'^  a  more  h  )nnarab!e  tesri  nony  in  favour  of  the  (t  .v- 
env-i-'s  character;  for  if  the  Son  had  ^u'Tirad,  vjithmt 
this  obedience,  his  sufferins;^  in  that  case,  could  have 
been  no  better  testimony  in  the  Governor's  favour,  than, 
©■yen,   the  Rofferinpis  of  any  criminal. 

Now  that  the  Father  did  re^^ard  the  law,  in  the  same 
S:-2:ht  in  which  the  Son  did,  is  evident,  from  his  hav- 
iJi2^  sent  the  Son  to  honour  it.  A  id  althou'^h  the  Di- 
irine  Goveruvor  did  not  seod  the  S  )n  iat)  the  world,  in 
his  official  capacity  as  govern  vr;  yet  the  Father  wh* 
&  governor,  did  send  hi  n.  S  >  that  this  transaction,  by 
shewing  the  views  and  feelings  of  the  Father,  shews  at 
the  sa-Tje  time,  the  views  and  feelings  of  the  governor  just 
as  fully.  It  shews  that  the  law  is  good,  and  that  the 
Father  as  G  )vernor  will  ever  maintain  it,  so  as  to  sS" 
Wire  the  end  of  government,  the  highest  an ount  of  ho- 
Eness  and  happiness  in  the  intelligeat  universe.  "For 
lie  who  S':;ared  not  his  own  S  )n,  bu'  freely  gave  hi'"^ 
"fep  for  us  all,  will  he  not  with  him  freely  give  us  all 
flings?"  Certainly  he  \w\\\,  for  if  God  as  Divene  Gov- 
ernor, would  so  ihr  disregard  the  law  at  any  time,  as  to 
tieglect  the  grand  end  of  government,  why  would  he 
as  Father  ever  have  given  up  his  own  Son  to  suiter  in 
such  trying  circumstances? 
of  ui.^  sab3>-»ct,  it  he  ind  i  fair  caaice;  aul    not  n  j^^-  throwti  in    his 

()d  tlie  subject  of  the  ator.einent,  it  may  be  fairly  s-airi; — that  hgiit 
has  'whined  in  darkoessj   hut  the  darkness  coniprehcndi^d  it  nr»t. 

Tiiose  Viriaus,  and  jarins;  notions  have  arisen,  mostly,  from  '  vO 
»oots.  0  >e  was; — that  the  wurd  ativiemeut  meant  reconcilia  ioi. 
Th' other; — that  it  irn^anf  a  r.ui^  Mn,  And  from  these  iwo  i  lots, 
there  seems  to  have  arisen  as  in  my  unclean  notions,  as  ever  t'lers 
were  frogs  that  came  forth,  out  of  the  I'ivers,  and  ponds  of 
Egv... 

Btth  these  words  are  Bible  words;  but  the  Bible  n«ver  taught 
thos"?  various  notions,  that  have  b-en  'Ujipos-d  to  rise  out    of  t'era. 

Fnun  t!ie  reconciliariju  nlm.  it  his  b  -n  ,is»,e  el  n  ev  -,y  jt-T- 
«ff:i  saved,  ha^  to  make  his  own  atohemeni;  becaust:  he    has  to  ^^'- 


194 

Now  if  ^od  as  Father  "s;;'irer!  ?-»ot  bis  own  So",'V2/A 
whe  .  the  t^o.)d  of  irov^'riTncnl  required  hi  .-,  to  b"  '/^'^v  m 
up;  evidently  he  >u  )iild  a)C  snare  in^  )i3  :dse  i.i  si  n!'ar 
ciiCLriiS'anceh  ; — md  nach  less  w  mil  he  s;>are  anv  ither 
individual,  of  different  chara^;t"r,  arl  !;i  far  less  e'l  lear- 
int^  relations.  But  if  God,  as  Fa' her,  w  >uM  nyt  -^veia 
spare  his  own  S  )n,  nor  anv  o;i^  sls^,  whei  nu^lic  g- )od 
required  him  to  be  o;iven  up,  to  suffer,  then  it  is  most  cer- 
tai*- ,  that  he,  in  his  official  charterer,  as  ^n)vernor,  nev- 
er y\  ill  spare  any  criminal,  when  the  public  welfare  calls 
for  their  execution. 

Moreover,  in  as  nuich  as  the  Father  has  freely  g'ivent 
up  the  Son,  for  us  all,  he  evidently  will  not  with-h  >ld 
any  thing;,  no  not  any  thin^^,  even  from  a  criminal,  allow- 
able to  him  h)- anv  law  of  government. 

N.  I  see  friend  A.  to  a  d ■" I is^htful  certainty  that  the 
excellency  of  the  law  is  established;  aiid  that  the  excel- 
lent character  of  the  Divine  Governor  is  also  most  ful- 
ly established;  and  from  that  all  glori>us  transaction^' 
all  holy  mind's  in  the  universe  can  now  have  the  most 
high,  and  perfect,  and  complete  confidence  in  that 
government  down  through  eternity;  and  of  course  the 
very  highest  happiness  of  which  they  are  susceptible. 

A.  You  perceive  then  further,  that  if  the  Difine  Be- 
ing as  G>vern()r,  had  gone  onto  pardon    any   criminal, 

h  Roui.  3.  3-3  '  '. 

come  reconciliatod,  which  say  thej,  is  the  sam?  thing. 

But  on  this  reconciliation  plan,  there  has  been  mucli  disagreement 
of  opinion,  but  noneoS  it  tsue 

But  on  the  ransom  plan,  it  has  be^n  supposed  Chv;s?  guffsrM  (ho  pen„ 
aUy  of  the  Iaw;iii  the  room,  and  place  of  sinutr!i,and  that  liis  sufil-rings 
were  laid  iu  a^sa  legal  set  off.  or  payment  of  the  debt,  or  ransiim.  by 
\vbich  lie  dinner  was  rele.ised,  because  his  debt  was  paid  foi  htm. 
Yet  thf  Biole  never  int+nided  to  rejjresent  any  such  thi'^g  from 
first  to  last,      N^'ithcr  did  if   over  «ay  it. 

Mdiii.  20.  28  says.  Hf  cano  to  give  his  life  a  rans-m  for 
many  ''  It  would  have  bci-n  nnar-^r  the  original,  if  it  had  been 
^aiisiiited  thu?.. — To  give  his  lifv,  f-ir  th<-'  re'oase  of  muny.  \od  1. 
Tim.  S.   6.     "Who  gave  himself  a  ransom    for   all."     Might  have 


1^5 

wit-i-'on<-  this  conniL-t-e  atonement;    without  these    ohz^- 
lent  sn.f^Wnirs  of  the  S  )  1    of  God,    such    a  ^tep    wmM 
ha":-  <veuk -ned  niibliccmfidenceamanG^  all  orders  '^f  ho- 
ly cs  lUures  amaziii.^ly;  which  would  have  lessened  their 
ha'   liness. 

H  tre  then,  if  the  Divine  Legislator  adopt  these  ®- 
be  H-nt  sufFfria^s  of  the  Son  (as  he  did)  here,  is  laid  a 
ii.  1  and  ample  ground  for  the  Divine  Governor  to  go 
on  and  oardon  just  a^  many,  as  can  be  pardoned,  con- 
sistently with  tiie  hi^h  end  of  goverufuent ;  and  with- 
out any  one's,  loosing  confidence  in  that  most  perfect 
G'^'^mment. 

T.iis  is  ail  that  an  atonement  can  do.  It  was  wise 
and  good  tiierefore  in  the  Legislator  to  establish  thes'e 
■V^ry  oliedient  sufFiriiigs  of  the  Son,  as  a  Dwine  govern'--' 
mental  principle  on  the  g  ©and  of  which  the  Givernor 
■should  act  in  pardoning  as  many  criminals  as  c  )uld  be 
pardoned  in  perfect  co^isstency  with  the  high  end  of 
gpve.  nment.  A'ld  tiiis  is  the  foundation  principle  of 
the  iaw  of  faith. 

N.  You  have  sir,  T  must  owq,,  fairly  at  length  redeem ^ 
ed  your  promise.  See  Pages,  117,18.  And  now  I  see 
ta  a  new  light  how,  and  why  the  "law  of  faith  doss  ac- 
tually honour  and  support  the  law  of  v/orks;  for  it  is 
evident  that  each  part  of  this  complete  system  of  Di--; 
l>.-'  'I  tius  -  vV  1  1  '^rive  hiin<elt"  is  \  lu'^raion  tor  all.  <\'id  both 
■fhase  jdace.i  ini^an  no  vn  )r'e  than  tins:  Ilidn.  5.  6.  He  died  foi' 
the  iiMgodlj,  or  sinnei-s.      Or  3.  Cor;  5.   14  — 15.      'df  one  died  foff 

all"&c. 

Tile  Hible  dor'S  nut  meui  they  are  raasomed  by  pasing  (heii-' 
d-b-;  bat-by  pird.jning  tlieii-  sins;  even  it  t'ne  woid  rans'i'ii  b* 
r-etiM-d  Maih.  6.l!2.  Says— "Forgive  us  our  debrs-.;  but  (o.tiiv 
iog  •-!  '.b:s,  is  d  vevy  diSl-rent  thing,  fio.n  piyuig  d^bi.^.  Ai:d  in 
fuc;.  d  ijb  i33var  cta  bi  firgiven.  ufrer  it  is  paid.  Liko,  11.  4. 
say-.  "F.j.give  us  'nw  si  is:  .  for  we  also  forgive  every  one  'hue  is  iif- 
debtcii  (■tas. "  H  re.  debits  j;re  co  upired  to  smis;  or  sins  compare'? 
tod.'b'S.  lii  I'dar  ti) -.'Xiildin  ih?  forgivness  of  Snis,  by  ciimrthViizVi 
with  t:!'f .  givenessof  debts.  Aod  this  is  very  nice.  \\v  ••'-)!!r(;r 
pi.Oij  G\j-^  as  t.i3  pjaiaii. ae.u  at'  ■'S.aner?;.  o-j  co:npari;ig  ir-,  w;  j*  t  ftr 


120 

me  ^'OveraaientaJ  prinoiples    liiis  ureciselv  at  the  same 
grinieid  ^f  gr>v-,-n  a-.,t;   wn'v:h  is  tht  ^r-atest  o  )ssi- 
bl-  a  nouit  of  holiness  and  happiness  all  over  the  creat 
Q.d  and  iatellisrent  u'liverse. 


TT^n^^TiO'it  a®. 


N.  Nntwitiistandiii,:^  the  ^ra;i'l  result,  stated  at  the. 
Glo-e  of  our  last  con versatioi,  I  am  inclined  to  ask. 
still,  mirrht  not  the  character  of  the  Divine  Governor^ 
&ave  been  better  established  by  the  obedient  sufferings 
of  the  Son,  if  thc}^  liad  been  inflicted  on  the  Sm,  by 
the  j^'overnor,  in  his  official  capacity,  instead  of  beinp- 
infli  ".ted  on  the  S  )n,  by  the  Father,  in  no  official  capaci- 
ty whatever? 

A.  No,  by  no  means,  for  the  character  of  the  Gov- 
fri'nor  is  perfectly  well  established  in  the  manner  above 
stated.  But  to  suppose  the  sufferiis^s  ivere  inflicted  oe 
the  Son,  by  the  governor,  in  his  ofiicial  capacity,  is  lia- 
"ble  to  many  objections;  which  w  >uld  go  to  tarnish.^ 
tather  than  brighten  his  character,  as  governor. 

N.   Pleasestate  some? 

A.    Well,  in  the  first  place,  whf^n  rh:-   ao--ee'r,ent  wati"" 

yviB   ■-■■■■■- ;  ...-,..— ..I .,,._■_-  ...-  iit    ^^    ...     .....>, -■       ,^^ 

imprison'oen'^ 'if  cletxors;  atiii  thi-;,  aUo.  i-*  don-.^  bf-aiitifully.  Seef 
"^latli.  5.  15,  "-IQ  Bit  it  is  \n  (>sce 'fiin^'y  g;rp*t  error  to  pi-k  np 
the  notion  of  'I -bt.  and  then  fix  'he  ntonemeot.  antl  the  whole  gos-- 
pel  plan,  upon  the  prituipltfs  of  deb',  and  credit.  A  )d  then  !a- 
boui  under  the  a-ivkward  absurdity,  ''f  having;  the  deit  forgivenj 
afer  it  vas  paid  to  the.  Lust  cent,  bv  thp  <;ur('ty. 

Wheffas.  in  facf.  deb*s  never  can  be  foroiven,  affer  ♦hey  are" 
paid;  nt'ither  is  it  pos.sible,  that  Sins  can.  be  paid  for,  acconiing" 
•to  any  correct  governmental  principles,  hutiinn  or  I). vine.  Sinners 
mu-t  b",  oi'her  puni.shed.  or  pardoned;  accorditig  to  any  law,  that 
Is  rah'ilated  to  .secure  ttje  good  of  the  cnitimiinity. 

Piini-'ouietit  is  noi  ile.-ign^d  asa  retaliation,  \<i  the  Di-ine  Go.v- 
er^Mn^■li';  Iiut  ir  i*  de-i.cui"'  to  restrain  ihe  nffend  fr  un  doing 
Uiischief  to   others;  and  also  to  deter  others  from  doing    mischief. 


ioiide  ill  dist'mct  reference  to  rhess  oh^'d^ent  suff^iiDfi, .., 
it  ^')<  nade  betvvixt  psrfeot  cqua^ -.,  t'l?  Father  and  the 
S^)n.  It  'lust  then  he  fii'ii ''ed  -)u  ^^ach  oart,  by  the  same 
glials  vvh  >  enter  "d  into  it,  or  it  is  ■!  )l  fu'.fi'led  at  all. 

N  )vv  IP  the  a!>;reeiTient  was /nade  betw.'ei  Father  and 
S\)'-  a<^  eqiia's,  ;ind  not  in  anv  o^overnnisntaj  capacity^ 
tl'e  S m  would  have  had  a  ri2:hr  t^  ohf^ct  to  its  being" 
ftilfilied  bv  the  .(governor  in  His  official  capacity;  Trr  it  vvas 
not  ;v'th  the  f2;ov.  as  such,  he  niade  that  aci^reenisnt, because 
iheS  >n.hadaj|rC'-''-1 1-^  rpceieve  his'-nTiviocrs  from  the  hand 
ofhis  Fnrher,  av;  :  '  )  n  a'^- jv-rmi-ntal  otficer.  Besi-'les- 
if  t'^  '  S  -•{!  had  afterward  agreed  to  h^uTer  frDni  the  hand  of 
■the  s;  >vernc)r;  instead  of  sufferinp;;  from  the  hand  of  the 
Fath.°r,<the  contract  between  Father  and  Son  being  brok- 
en, th"  Son  has  no  elai  n  on  the  rpvernor  for  his  reward. 
^unless  he   niakes  a  n? u' C;^;.  : :    ;     ;",    with  the  governor. 

Aside  fron  the  fa.ilur5  oT  t  li  Faiher,  by  b''eakin;3j  ihe 
agree  nent  with  the  S')n,  the  Govern rr  as  such,  h?<>  n» 
dQ:ht  to  make  such  agreement;  of  course  could  n-^t  be 
bound  to  fulfil  it,  neither  in  inuictinR;  suffering,  no-  '5 
bestowing  reward ;  nor  could  the  Governor  d>  it  wiia 
propriety,  for  the  law  binds  hini  to  protect  the  iin  >cent& 
and  to  punish  the  guilty  only.  And  as  to  best~> vig  a. 
reward,  he  has  no  right  to  dispose  of  on  ilio  proosrr}'^^* 
of  ndiich  by  office,  he  is  inerelv   ih^  guardian. 

Niiw  1  woiili]  as'v  how  mii'^h  s!>'tii;'i  h-^.  >  dd  hs  :i  i  I'qiiiviilerjt 
for  leftiiTj:  ifFenilers  loos^- t»  do  vvhaf  ni--hi-f  t'v.v  pl'^a^-*.  in  the' 
0nvi-rn:'.eiit.  ■  x\nd  T  ans-.vei-; —  'h-re  i*  no  ^  >»'-;r;i  ni^.nMl  equi- 
^ait^nt.  that  can  be  g;iv(^n.  or  accopuvl  ;»  sn'-h  i  case  \.  \  \  'n 
course,  it  would  be  a  miseraolr'  roritriv:  ce.  t  >  punish,  tr  r'>'^riin 
'an   in-nocdit    person,  .is  an  eq:iivHlent    for  h-t  iog;    l.iose  tlie  iiuilty. 

But  if  the  off' id  ers  have  rr-a'Iy  repen  ed  ind  will  di  n  i  fir*ier 
Wjischicf:  then  tliei-t  is  nn  govf<rn  nentsi  neresify  that  th:'V  sh'ild  bc 
puni.-hed.  or  restrained:  or  j  ly  one  els>'.  mtheir  place.  A.id  all  such 
mav,  with  th''  greaiesf  proiiri^ty,  h'>  ror!>;iv'i"ti,  nr  oard  )n.d.  An5 
sll  be-evoU-iit  utinds.  iri.  the  o-ov.>rn:)ieiit.  wjil  bi^fi;!id  0  s.^e  fhi'trr 
pan'o-ied.  if 'hos:^  be..ev.)'eni  o'lds  ctn  h,iv>»  sulfic:^;!'  evidon-^e? 
that  (!i;  -e  fnm  njl  li.ive  'x-t-n  p:iido-i  d  .us;  ,te:iti  v  v-'^i  th."  y;  1  ^d 
Of  ihc  goverument,    B,.t  all  such  created   miuds  might  lojse   confi 


M  v^')V3.*  at  the  very  ti  a^  wh'in  tb^  S-);i  rece-vcJS 
'hissiiT;"  '  i;s,  h2  wi^  jirsst'i  yici  il!  !!•  i  ^rirv  in  hea- 
ver, and  !  1  '^arth,  which  had  b'an  nrsviouslv  d'^l^f^atsd 
to  Ilia  i)v  the;  Father,  and  '.vhich  he  vvi'l  c)nti'Uie  t» 
hold  u'nl  he.  shall  have  ju  1-2^3  I  the  ^vor'd  i  i  ri(^ht-oiis- 
r-ss,  M  d  then  he  will  "deliver  it  up  to  G  d,  even  ttie 
Fathe>-/'fa.)  * 

At  ^r'lich  tiiTic;  the  Father  jast  Oeghf^  to  execiit';  his 
t)fR"f^  is  rT)v  -mor  ;  of  course  at  the  ti'ne  wh'^n  the  S  y-x 
su^  'ed,  the  Father  was  hot  executJn_5^  the  office  v)f  G)r- 
■en?  \  For  these  reasons  and  others  not  ^iven,  the 
G-'"'~vnoY  as  sii'h,  di"l  nit  i  iflict  suT'-'i  !;s  .  i  o  rhs  S  >» 
nr  •  could  He  ;  and  the  sup^'>sitioa  that,  h?  did  act  in  his- 
official  capacity,  in  th^  i'lfliction  )r  rh^ii  siTiriii'^^s,  is 
a  reflection  on  the  Father's  charact:?r  as  such;  a  id  on 
iiis  character  as  f^overiior,  aid  oo  the  whole  adninistra- 
tion,  oow  conducted  by  the  Son, under  his  supreme  dele- 
gated authority. 

O  1   the   other  hanl,  th^  F'lther  hi  ntelf  "aot   soani^* 
Iiis  own  beloved  Son,  but  freely  giving  hini  up"  in  the 
manner  alreadv  staled,   does  display  and  establish  the' 
character  of  the  G'overnor  to  the  truest,  best,  and  high-- 
est  advantage. 

N.   Bat  are  these  all  the   purposes   contemplated   i^^ 
the  atonement? 


a  See  I   Cor.  15,  24: 
■^ence  in  ibe  jj;(>vciiim(>'it.  unless  this  evidence  was  given    to  themi' 

Tlu'v  intgiit  tlvink,  I'lat  ei;  ler  rlie,iavv  wa*  not  gaoiljor  else,  tliat 
the  (Jitver  lOr  was  nut  <^(»od.  aJid  nnt  to  be  deppiuled  on,  to  maintain 
the  i"  ;  .im!  that  .me.  or  ij  tb  th  se.  wer*- t!ie  reas.ins  why  tliose 
ct'imi  liils  were  nut  esi'cuteil  'hiit  is  puni-hrd,  or  restrained.  Fui* 
thev      itdd  !i;)t  Jiidu;e    tlie  hearts  of   tht)>e     persons    libeiau-d,   and 

ou'.d  ru  t  be  rrri;  ill.  but  ihiit  d  ev  vould  ve'  go.  and  do  mi'.chief?' 
Qui  .-.<.  Mi-y  il.]  siiflaient  evidence  that  ihi- Governor  wiilnot  par- 
doii  any,  but  -uch  as  cin  be  par»l(cied  consistently  wiih  tlie  guod 
of  the  griveinm-nr.  Bit  .is  it  is  the  nature.  >f  benevulri\t  minds  iff 
be  y;'ad  (o  lave  a'l  pi'd  'ihhI  Uki!  e.aii  I)-  pardoned,  •  oiisisiently 
Tfiti)  thv-  good  of  the  tjoverninent,  theyinust  h.ive  'atisfactury  evi-^ 
deuce,     ihat  liie  UL/vernor  is  good  enough  to  g^arUonah  sacii  withu'dV 


129 

A.  Yes;  whatmorft  could  be  ans^vcir-^  ^9 

N.  Oil  not  the  atonement  an ^.r.^r  ;■  -'^s-rne  v/hat 
offn'ed  in  the  roo  )!<•■»!'  th:^   si  ;  lers  )\vu  au  I'erin^^s?" 

A.  Yes,  in  the  S2ns2  exoKiin.^  1  a'');)v-.  It  u-is  onP'^-.d' 
bv  the  Sm;  acv-.epted  by  "he  Far!i-:r.  ;)  l-^pterl  by  the 
L.'_;;1s]at  )r,  and  to  h-e  HCte'!  u  ■)  )n  bv  ;h     G  -ver'-ior. 

N.  But  was  n')t  C'lrist  "  nade  sin,"  sr  a  sin  offerings 
£oY  u<  "who  knew  no  si)i?" 

A.  Yes,  ill  the  sense  ab  )ve  expliin:?  I,  and  in  n# 
©ther. 

N.    ^A^as  there  not  sonie  kind  <:!r"-e  •■a!.'^.ub^tituii')n?* 

A.  No;,  you  recollect  his  sufTerinf^'s  were  the  cnnse- 
quence  of  mutual  as^^eement  between  hiniand  the  Fwh- 
m",  as  perfect  equals,  and  not  according'  f  >  aiiy  !  .  ."  or 
les;al  process  whatever;  nor  «here  t.he)'  iv^flicted  by  the 
Divine  B^'in^y;  in  any  orlicial  cajTacity  w-hatever. 

N.  But  were  not  Christ's  sufi^erings  the  penalty  of 
•'Sie  divine  law? 

A.  No,  for  that  would  suppose  hi:n  to  have  underf^one 
a  lep^al  prrjcess,  and  that  sentence  ot"  conde  n  lation  had 
feeen  pronounced  .against  hi'ii  by  the  Judge,  vv'-hile  it 
Xvas  acknowledged  that  he  was  holy  harmless,  undesiied^ 
iSeperate  from  sinners,  and  made  higher  than  the  hea- 
vens." (h)  Now  this  would  be  even  a  worse  seat-^nce, 
than  that  of  the  court  r^hich   was   constituted   bv    r1ie 


b  Hi'br^ws  7^2y- 
failare.     OtlicTwis  thev  might  lor»(;e  confidcnre  in  this  icsi'ecr  fii>0-. 

And  in  proportion  as  their  connd-nc!"  i*  weakenefij  so  :nay  'heir 
happiness  be  le-isencd.  A  ni  mi  propjr'i  >  i  a-s  t'leir  rn-ifi:!e;ir  ia 
iheir  govermiient  is  pecfecf;  ^u,  dieii- nappsae.ss  mtyb- perfect,  and 
the  end  of  gover>i  n>!jt  perfectly  s^'our;^!.  \.\A  ail  t'l;^  docfririeof 
flip  afonetneut  goes  upon  this  principL'  oftix^nin.^  i  le  r.,5'ttsr  can- 
fideiice  ill  the  gi(vern;nent,  by  proving i;  !■)  ae  a  pe.fe:r  govern- 
ment, with  a  perfect  ad(niiiistratioii. 

And  let  no  one  s;iy^ —  that.suffic;er>t  coiifideiice  might  h.ive  b-en 
excited,  by  knowing  'niur>»-.i  ■^us  r  i«  li.v -giver,' aa<t  .Mat  G -u  WiS 
the  (jr  iver -or;  >r.  ia -virne  rhr'r.viy,  v*  r*uf  the  o.i  I  •,  .;, '.-..jd 
suffer, n  .s  of  Cli    -.^ 

1  ttiibwei'j  tual  it  petaiue  tuu  laiituteij  wiSt;  Gud,  t^r  the  iionoar 


1^# 

cli'p^  priest,  scribes,  ard  elfiers  at  Jerusalem!— for  tnat 
cc-r:'  11  lot  eveiv  ackn-)wl-':l!^e  him  iimoc-rat,  but  la- 
b(  r.    d  hard  t)  prove  him  i^iiilty. 

,\i^]eveni*\  in  these  circumstanors,  the  Sr^n  liasL 
been  g-iven  i>ver  t)  t'le  Divine  Governor,  who  is  the 
mere  maintainer  oP  !avv,  audthat  hiw  too  expressly  es- 
tablished to  .2i;iMrl  the  innocent  asjainst  the  lawless;  tht 
G  vernor  instiia  I  >r  c-seciit:nQ;.th"  law  at  all,  uoon  the 
So  1  vvho  was  k\  >\v  \  \  i  1  i  :'v  i  vv'e  1  ^e  I  t )  hs  i  i  o:;  -  it^ 
tvnillhave  acted  even  w')rse  than  Pilate,  if  he  had  nol 
lionourablv  released  hi^n. 

N.  But  "had  not  Christ  to  suffer,  in  order  to  satisfy' 
©ivine  justice?"" 

A.  Justice  consists  in  the  treatment  of  a  moral  agent 
-according  to  his  character  in  the  view  of  law. 

Now  in  his  case,  had  there  been  any  fair  Iepi;al  Dr#- 
©ess,  h.e  would  havp  b^en  honourably  acquitted,  "in  or- 
4.er  <  )  satisfy  divine  justice.'' 

N.  But  mif^ht  not  divine  justice  call  for  satisfactio!? 
«n  the  sinners  account? 

A.  Yes  it  ini<2:htand  would  call;  but  neither  that  nor 
'Jiny  other  justice  would  call  lor  sufferings  from  an  ac- 
|;n  wl-d'^'d  innocent  person,  on  the  sinners  account. 

N.  Bui  might  not  that  infiocent  person  freely  offef 
Isimseh? 

of    •  i'^   NHme,  ai  (1  fur    the    Glory   of   hi >   Kingdom,    to   pst>ibh.sh 
ihc  n-ost  perfVot  governnent,  and  to  excise  tnn  liishjSt   confidence 
in  it.  bv  the   veiv  best  t^vitience,   tjiat  infiiiie  wisdoin  could  biirio* 
ft>' >■:(!;  and  tliis,  he  has  done,  in  the  way  he  has   taken     \\i  it 
eou^d  M.if  h,»ve  bt>en  so  well  done,  in  any  other  wny. 

\:\  ;  '■■'>  t'Mt  i-;  >aid.  in  the  old  tesr-nnonr,  ab.iut  afone-ocnts, 
^a"*  ies.<;;iie  I,  nni  s  >  mach  far  a  strict  <;rX|)lanatii>:l  of  ti)e  dictrinc 
of  ii.e  sett  afonem»ot  of  C^ris^j  as.  to  ilir"ct  their  nin  is  tft 
C  .  .t,  vv'iii  was  to  come,  and  nlm.  tiirouv'i  tie  etornil  Soirit,  of- 
fer. 1 1    liio'-elf  wuhouJ  spot  to  Gxl,  II  b.  9    14 

N-.N'i'rihe  e.ss  i  cunsid.TJtbie  d^  gic--  'd  h;p,  in  tiie  hxt!  jijiti.in, 
of  n  •  -»n  lit*'!  i  Ch;- s-  can  be  derived  from  what  is  said  in  tilf 
©Vsi  t'vsiainent,  a.o.jUt  aiojcnents. 


13/ 

A.  Yes,  he  might,  if  he  th  )iu^-ht  proner,  freely  oFFex. 
feim.self ;  oat  iivj  righteous  jud^^'^::  couii,  la  hia  o  licial  ca- 
paciiy,  freely- or  even  unfrecly  lake  him,  aiul  no  right- 
sous  Governor  either  could,  in  hisoiiicial  capacity,  freely 
®i  u.itreciy  execute  hi  n. 

N.  But  was  It  riot  necessary  that  Christ  should  suffer  to 
tnaintuiathe  truth  in  this  particular  point?  "In  the  day 
^lai  thju  eatest  there?)f  thou  shall  surely  die. "(c) 

A.    Vo,  [br  \'L\  n  lii  ase;f    aciuiiiy  Ji:J  i.i  I.,  v  .\t  the 

■Hioaient  he  sinned;  and  tae   obejisnt  surferin^i  of  t'lo 

?on  tosk  place  .as   the  govern  nr^" :'    •;;  ;.:  r',  oa  which 

iia^ii  and  ail  his  postcviry,  .ni-^ht.  _    i      ...    .  be  pardon- 

■i  a  J  1  restored  t')  "n  wal  life/' 

N.  I  see  th  principles,  and  how  adniiraMy  they  work 
too;ether  ni  answeriii?^  oi^jscn  ■  '  ., 

A.    Weil  then  tell  ine  in  y  ,     vis   ic  acj-;-_:i:i;^ 

uo  the  above  principles,  an   h;:;:;  ,   or    a  d:L,!i,>  :  ;ur,  i^ 
suDOose  that  tnt  Soii  suffered  a  a,  ie-^aj  penally? 

N.  Why,  according  t'>  the  priivcipies  (an  I  c\^:i- 1  :^  ^^.-r 
dispute  theni^  I  ad:mt  it 'would  be  a  disli.jo  )u  '  ,;  .  j  ::  . - 
ly  S  m  to  suppose  that  he  sa;ie.-:id  ;  li  p^;K:y  "  [•-:. 
QV  that  he  wa-  ■  '  ':  ^  %  or  i,vus  to-tured,  sc  was  iv  a  v.- 
other -situatiji-i  -:..,. Jzi/^-d  oy  wor.is,  which  ha>  o  O:;^^ 
deerned  ap])licable  to  the  le^al   treat  ae  u  of  crriiinais. 

A.  Is  itan  honour  or  a  dishoa)U!,   to    G)d;     siapl^ 

C  (if;'.   2,    1  r: 

Wt'  (s.iy  !ra':i  t'ii'  t  i-*ir -dfo  c^.nerr.  *  were  a  f)'i  t  ol' tie  cercno- 
ni;i'  :;i\;  i^o  t'le  ;  j  ;e  ;■  ill  '■>{  G-r(S!,isd  p.iital  •  le.  law  of  Tii'h^ 
fir  g'.i-'uel. 

i'i-.eir  atfniein  f?;  :ii  hji  ".ii^nifv  ce-fuo.rai  *<•  ni' iliati  >n;  U)£- 
flie .  -  f-r  '  t''.;'  ■■:'•.•,  !■-  nd  11'^  '<)  >vhuM  cere  im'U.i!  i.-.^  'ii:  ,^ 
m!,;'.  I  take,  piacej  -.i',:hr  .itof-.eiue.i  >  nl  Cjit  i>t  in  ihe  la  .  of  !.'3i  :.a.  cirj- 
i'liw  io  Which  leioiii  iOafion  tiia\    ake  plice. 

T';.!r  .1  o;i -aieiit*.  Wert-  .o  t'le  ijayinent  oi'  CC' <'raiMii;il  'ebt^ 
but  t!;.^  l;!\v  ' ;}"  cTt'inof.  al  riM-giv.'re^s  (){  vv' ong--  *  Sn,  iiie  :  .i-.e- 
me'i        '    Christ   wti?,    nol    the    ptyiniMit  of  i  (itbr,  but     b      l.fv  uf 

*   I  -   :-  ;',  -i'.^d  T,    7,    LtviL.  8,    1^,   IS,     a  Chron,  ;.% 

^";—^;4,     "lievu:  6,  f, 


132 

its  "Divine  Governot,  to  supp-jse  that  Tie  Would  infiietsiir- 
Ceriiigs   )  1  Lie  -^  >  \? 

N.  It  wuulJ  be  a  dis  loiiour  to  suppose  him  capable  of 
Diistaking  his  proper  e nphn-iient  s.j  i'ar,  as  thai  1  i  his 
©iiiLiai  capacity,  he  would  ever  atteaipt  to  puiiisri  one 
inn'>ceal   bei   g,  g(;;at  or  .sri-ah. 

A.  would  it  not  iiavc  bren  ciislionoiirable  tv^  the  Di- 
vine Legislator,  tu  have  ci  aitcd  a  law,  thin  \^^;■u'd  au- 
:^orize  a  Judge  or  c{^urr;  an.:'  enin  )\ver  a  govern" r,  to 
&"eat  an  inn;;cent  person  as  if  he  were   gjiaiy? 

N.  I  answer  yes,  periectiy  so,  aiid  ur.iess  tlie  above 
principles  be  overturned,  I  see  no  way  lo  evad'/  OiC  co!i- 
©lusi  on,  that  it  wjuld  be  squally  dis.u  i  >u:ao, :,  to 
the  divine  legislator,  for  one  of  his  subjects  to  under- 
stand his  laws  or  the  iiiole,  m  asi^^  such  nay. 

A.  Then  by  whom  was  the  Sra  ";iu  nbered  with 
transg.cbsors,"  seeing  he  was  known  and  acknowl- 
edf'-ed  lo  be  without  sin? 

N.  It  was  by  that  ifiiquitous  human  court  which 
tri?"'!  hi  n,  and  by  others  wiiich  'Mvated  hiai  without  a 
cau.^e  ;"  and  not  at  all,  by  any  department  in  the  divine 
g^vennnent. 

A.  Well,  if  the  atonement  be  a  divine  governmental 
prii.cipic,  nas  it  not  the  f;rceof  a  jaw  throughout  the 
whole  divin.;  govern meni? 

'i  ■:•  B -.'(I  r,f  iii.  ;iii.iii;i'  v  as  8aul  t(»  bv  the  lilV  vi'  -he  m  isnal. 
Se.'  Ltvr.  I  7  II  —  I  i:  For  if  v*»u  lake  aw-iv  «ll  ii-  i)li)ud,  it  diesj 
ari.i  iif  .  )Ur-i>.  i  ^ull'i'?  )  ■{•!  (it  :iih  The  i>Iii(i(l.  tln'iilori-,  lepce- 
se:  ^  (J  ii'SuiTri  ;^  n  <  o  ^e^ti.  W'h  re' >!••.•.  i'ic  bio  •()  wa-  iied  m 
nni.  Miii  t  .  •  at  1.  tn  t.  ;);'i  a  s.>  tiie  b!''()ii  represi'iit  tn  tlie  si;L'bt,  or 
t:;.    ^    }     h'   ;)v  :;;  e.    'n  :!  '-'iirrai   m  id  siiff.r  ■(!   un'o  (K-at'.. 

S' i!  itiiHive  .  C  .li-!  i(»su(^"t,  f  I  1  u-  lt\^as  vviiitfii.  Lijkc  25; 
46:  Ai!-.  .5,  1  -i.  ,nM  ^ZS.  l-Z  -2"!:  Vlo^e- .»n  >  nil  'We  p-  <,)hM>  bad 
foii^iu!  t!,a  ("  fi-f  sliisud  s.ff;.  umm)  de;ith.  An'  bis  blon'l  is 
of;-.  ,  ^a!<l  •  b" '  s'.  or.  pujre  ili'^  con^cie'i  (•  ti  om  dead  wDik'^,  as 
if  ll',-b.  9.  14.  I>  ail'  -s  'yiii)  1  nviivse^Hi  bis -iirtV- I'it; !«  ifo  dealb,- 
A'Vbi    '  'uU-  ^;    ■■<  .(I       •  Cit).«iii  r,   as  •a'«  b    -ii -(W-eidv  saidj- 

au"    .wts    u'U    :i    v  ill     i)  L    >  :  ver,  ;ii  a  law  nt'  t'l  ■  (i  •■    f'l- 

n^eaij  Ui»i  imoh<.>tiz,ii&,  anu  bma^  liit  Ouvernor  tugtaui  jiaidon,  to 


N.  Tt  has. 

J.  Then  is  it  not  as  appiscable  to  the  whole  humato. 
flimii}-,  astoauy  pan.  se-cin^- u.  .  -  ail  bin,--,  .el 
sutjects  under  govciMunciit'? 

N.  Yes,  it  must  b^;  b  > ;  and  as  ail  rational  beiij.^s  ire 
subjects  of  the  sawie  govejiiiwCiit,  the  Divine  ku^er 
may  call  it  into  use  where  ever  tnert::  is  neeu  iur  it. 

Now  according  to  tins  priiicipl  i,  might  I  in  i-ciuii^. 
abk  wny  may  not,  cvei.  S-itan  oe  pard')nedi^ 

A.   He  might  if  it  weie  nc;t  Ua  iub   wicked  lieart. 

N.  But  if  Satan  were: purdonubiC,  ou.^ht  {if)LC-.nst  t® 
have  taken  upon  ni^^i-  ihe  iiature  of  A-gels,  inste  :d  >f 
die  'Seed  of  Abraliam;'"  in  order  tj  make  an  aioneaient 
for  angeis? 

A.  No,  icr  if  he  had  taken. on  him  the  nature  of 
Angeis,  i.istead  otihe  Seed  of  Abraham,  he  could  (Ot 
have  made  an  atpnemeiitat  all,  eitiier  for  angeL  or  men. 
"lie  c  Aiidnot  aave  been  obe  ient  unto  death,  even  the 
deaiii  of  the  cross." 

N.  Is  there  any  evidence  cr  likelihood,  that  a  fallen 
angel,  or  a  departed  fallen  mai^  will  e\er  repent,  even 
in  luii  View  of  tiie  cruui,  oi  those  governmental  prmci- 
pleo.^ 

A.  N),  not  the  least ;  but  the  sentence  in  their  car.^ 
will  ever  be,  "let  the  filthy  be  filthy  still. 

Ana  It  Will  oe  e-^sy  from  these  principles  to  ans'/zer 
an  oojection,  that  ^as  bc;en  made  to  ciiristianiiy ;  -If 
there  oe  ,n\)r'j  won  is  tiuiii  one,  and  sj-iiirs  n  ie  n^ 
ev,  ry  U  iiev;  r, 

\iid.  vvii  -rHu?,.  I  think  tiie  dt  nie.'en  of  Jesus  C  trisr.  is  the 
gr  •  \i\  0.'  it;M-  poMf  of  wisito'u,  sri.-n;;;th^  <i  d  b^'<"tv,  ui  t  g;  M-n- 
ineiii  >f  G  ,d,  tcon  ^vinci,  over-,  o!  livis^  wat  r  ^iiaii  flo^.  i  i^-.eiij 
d.i-  c  i  .11,  to  u)  ke  y;ia  i,  the  citN  ni  God,  Jm^vi  r.  and  e-v-er;  \n\  i'.To 
whic  I  ihi<i<j-s,  .\  o-.-,  (lesife.  iir  oe-id  uu-insHlve's  io'wani  wi  h  ;t  x- 
iciy,  t.>  lu)'.;  I  w  uld  ivcoiiiMead  t-i  a!l  in:itikitid.  tn -n'--  i  »ke 
ri-sr.  •>;  I  .nt  lit.non.  to  ih  luselve-).  uati  tii-  y  <>b  i  a-  m  i^^  e, 
scr;j  u'.i!.  '  1  iii.i.u  H .  I  .r.cuji  V  \ie.\  <.f  ihi.t  i.ve;it  .m)-.  .  cri  .  For 
in  piupuriioij,    as  any  one's    iiifunuaiion,    about  the  atoi.'Oieiit,  i^ 


134 


j  the  Snn  must  die  on  each  of  them,  that  they  might  be 

?3a>  '. . .... 

BetQLise  this   governmental    principle    Vvhicli   is  the 
[  foundation  of  the  law  of  fc\ith,  is  equally  in  f'  rce^  every 

\v]-ere,    ard  ntight  l.e  called    into  use  at  any  time,  the 
G  -pernor  thinks  proper. 

N.  D(  es  not  this  atonement  expressly  declare  that 
the  Divine.  Governor,  never  ^vill  pardon  any,  unless,  by 
so  doing,  the  grand  end  of  government  shall  be  main- 
tained?' 

A.  Yes,   iindrubtly. 

N.  \-.'ell,  does  it  not  equally  declare  that  he  never 
•viil  fail  Tf  rnccr,  \v  t\t^^^l^tt\  v,  fere  this  end  of  rov- 
ernmjent  shall  fe  promoted  by  it.^ 

A.  .Yes,  for  this  v.culd  be  a  violation  of  the  lav/  of 
faith  if  he  did  net;  and  as  Governor  he  is  equally  bound 
to  maintain  both  parts  of  the  great  system  of  divine  gov- 
ernmental principles. 

N.  Suppose  there  was  no  law  of  faith,  and  that  a  sin- 
ner's heart  v/as  renewed  by  the  Deity  as  a  Sovereign  ; 
then  which  should  the  Divine  Gsivernor  do  to  that  crea- 
ture, pardon  or  punish  him? 

A.  Neither;  because  public  confidence  would  alike 
%e  lost  on  either  side.  If  he  pardon,  corfideDCC  v/  ukl 
'1)6  lost,  and -..he  end  of  g;overnment  would  forbid  it;  on  the 
f'ther  hand,  if  thf  Go\ernor  punish  the  person,  who  is 
■renewed  in  aso\crei9;n  wa\,  public  co'ifidence  v/  iv  I  he. 

■inroirfc* J  so,  his  infanrarui!*  in  the  g^osppl  genpi-allv,  will  be  incor- 
yp(  t.  u^e!p»s^  ard  Dtii-it  sf.r'trv  to  liimscH.  i^l^i  la>  '•Vil-  ei"  isgli 
to  C'-fl  his  •■'jH'  i.lnps:  i!'!(l  'oin  prcDiirJiim,  w'!;  ins  cimnmnii  a  'niiis 
t(i  » t' eKS  b'- ut'infcll  giblr.  uii^a' i-farti>r>%  aiul  U'>c!r->.i!"uot  hurt- 
•fu!.   Slid    (la !Jf;;er( ■.■!>.. 

Btif  i-Fi  tie  ('lit-!  li;"  do  in  profoition,  8S  lii.s  infi:rrt'iati(in  itbout 
i]  e  •<!  iV.'W'KV,^.  5!  av  l,e  cM'mt  .••nd  'nje  aci-ordirig  to  tin-  bible,  vso 
wil'  hi-' his-.ir  !<•!  ni;  til;])   ii    ^lic  p'sri '  <;pi!e!all_v*\  „- 

A- ii  s!>  ifi  j  riii.c.riidiv   wA' \  ation  bp  u'stciul,  and  ^sticHic- 

toi\    '  himself!  ;<ii()  w>  ;i!,  j!' I ;  ;i;  i;.    will  his   comiuuuiratiwns  be- 
intelligible,  usetul,  at;d  sutifcfiiciui7  to  others. 


183 

weakened  in  .seeing  him  treated  differently  from  his  pre- 
sent noral  character;  for  the  law  was  desi^a^ned  to 
ruard  the  innocent  aa-ainst  the  hiwless,  and  of  course 
the  end  of  government  would  foibid  his  punishment; 
so  then  he  must  ju-st  let  him  pass,  '•'or  let  him  be." 

wY.  Then  how  could  he  be  treated  as  a  subject  of 
divine  gov  ermiient,  seeing  he  is  not  pardonable,  nor 
punishable? 

•A,  On  that  supposition,  he  could  not  be  treated  as  a 
subj-.'Ct,  at  all;  for  the  governor  as  such,  would  have  no- 
thing to  do  with  him.  The  conclusion  then  is  easy,  that 
although  God  as  a  sovereign,  might  go  on  to  renew  a 
siniier's  heart;  yet  as  a  Divine  Governor,  he  could  not 
go  on  to  punish  him. 

N.  If  the  law  of  faith  and  the  law  of  works  are  so  inti- 
mattdy  connected,  and  so  eternally  important,   can  any 
one  knowingly,   and  on  purpose,  put  the  Atonement    jf 
Christ  out  of  his  religious  systeni,  and  yet  be  a  Christian? 

A.  No,  he  must  necessarily  be  an  infidel. 

N.  But  may  not  some.,  through  the  want  of  better 
information,  appear td  put  the  atonement  cut  of  their  sys- 
tem, and  yet  have  some  Christianity? 

A.  Yes,  I  think  this  is  possible. 

N.  '.V'ill,  according .  to  these  principles  and  conclu- 
sions, it  must  be  a  matter  of  vast  importance,  that  ev  r}'' 
one  un  derstand  well  both  parts  of  the  complete  system- 
of  divine  governmental  principles. 

A.  Yes,  it  is  of  c;)nsequence  to  understand  the  princi- 
p.les  of  any  government,  u  ider  which  we  live,  for  a  time; 

uut  now  tiunsceniently  important  to  know  thoroughly 
the  principles  of  that  g)Virn  nent  under  wiiicii  we  snail- 
live  Oil.  and  on,  down  tiirou.rh  eternitv. 


136 


N.  You  have  said  thnt  the  obedient  suFerincrs  of 
C"  ri-t,  constitute  the  atonem'iut;  and  that  his  obedience 
would  not  have  done  by  itself,  nor  his  suifjring  by  itself. 
N  w  which  obedience,  do  vou  mean  suictly;  do  you 
iTt^an,  his  obedience  to  th^  Father,  which  he  promised 
in  the  co\  er.ant  of  redemo.ti^~)n.  in  distinction  from  his 
obedience  to  tlielaw;  or  do  ym  mean  his  obedience  to 
the  law,  in  distinction  from  the  nther? 

A.  In  order  that  I  may  not  be  misunderstood,  I  ^lave 
ti'ied.  to  keep  these  two  points  distinct.  And  wh'=-n  I  mean 
to  speak  in  reference  to  his  obedience  to  the  Father,  I 
am  apt  to  call  that  obedience, — discha'^^'ing  his  oolijja- 
tion,  or  fulfillinQ:  his  covenant  contract;  his  obedience 
r )  the  Father,  or  his  covenant  obligation  to  the  Father, 
e-xtends  to  ever}-  thing,  he  ever  has  done,  or  will  !o, 
Vvliether  he  be  under  the  law,  or  above  the  !av/.  But 
his  obedience  to  law  strictly,  does  not  include  all  the  obed- 
ience he  ever  did,  or  ever  will  render  to  the  Father.  His 
obedience  to  the  Father,  is  n)  other  than  the  covenant 
©bedience,  or  vvilling  o'>edience  of  a  Son  to  a  father  ;  seS 
Heb.  3.1 — 6.  "He  wixs  faithful  to  him  that  appointed 
him."  Apd  this  v/as  the  obedient  faithfulness  of  a 
■"^Son,'  in  covenant  with  his  Father. 

Bu-t  Ills  obebience  to  the  kuv  strictly;  was  the  obed- 
ince  of  a  subject,  under  the  law;  and  as  a  subject  under 
flie  law,  he  was  faithfully  obedient,  as  the  law  directed, 
in  every  jot,  and  tittle,  in  every  circumstance,  and  rela- 
tion of  life:  whether  as  a  Son,  to  his  parents,  or  as 
a  brothr.  or  neighbour,  or  friend,  or  citizen^  or  even  as 
a  scrM;   t     • '"iiinister  unto  all. 

^'\d  this  v)bedij;inee  as  a  subject,  continued  nojonger 
than  v.'hiie  he  c-ntinued  a  subject  undei  the  law.  For 
flwhatever  the  law  saith,  it  saith  to  thCia  ihat   are  under 


11^ 

di' "^i^x."     R'^m.   S.   19.     Therefore  when  T  spaTce    oj: 
his   ))^iieiV    SLiT'.-iiv^'s;— T    nent,  stnctl\r,  his    obei- 
u     -t  to  the  !avv,  wiich  ob^dieac^  to  lav,  honou'^ed  the 
lav.  by  she'.vin^,  that  he  th)Li2;ht   the  la*^  was   g»ii 
and  the  saflPerins^s,  which  he  eaiu'-ed,  while  he  render- 
ed that  obedience  to  law,  coastitutes  that  obedieace,  s®- 
mw'h  the  more  strong,  and  honourable  testimony  in  fa- 
v^n'  of    the  goodness   of   the   law.     For    if    he    had 
aot  thought  the  law  was  perfectly  good,  he  never  win  id 
have  rendered  obedience  to   it,  in  such  trying  sufFerin  g 
circus-nstatnces.     While  at  the  same  time,  he  was  ob  ed- 
iendy,and  faithfully  as  a  S  )n,  fu'filUng his  covenant  con- 
tract with  the  Father  ;  for  he  had  agreed  with  the  Fath- 
er, that  he  would  come  under  the  law  as  a  subject,  anA 
render  obedience  to  the  law.     And  the   covenant  faith- 
fulness, and  obedience  of  the  Son,   to  the    Father,   will 
never  come  to  an  end. 

But  his  obedience  to  the  law,  stricdy,  as  a  subject^ 
liad  an  end ;  his  death  ended  his  legal  obedience  as  a 
subject.  And  although  his  sufferings  were  not  legal^ 
or  penal  sufferings,  as  has  been  already  said,  yet  hi& 
death  ended  his  sufferings  also.  "He  was  obeiienii 
unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross."  Phil-  2.  8. 
And  "he  learned  obedience  by  the  things  which  h& 
suffered;  although  he  was  a  Son."  Heb.  5.  8.  That> 
is, — his  obedience,  both  as  a  Son,  to  his  Father,  and  as 
a  subject  of  law,  was  the  more  deep,  or  profound,  andt 
experimentally  tried,  in  proportion  to  how  much  he  suf- 
fered. And  his  obedience  is  so  mach  the  mire  honour- 
able to  himself,  to  the  law,  and  to  his  Father,  in  propor- 
tion to  what  he  suffered.  Bat  his  death  ended  both  hia 
sufferings,  and  his  legal  obedience  as  a  subject  of  Iav,% 
F  .>r,  then,  after  his  obedience  to  law,  and  suffering  unto 
death,  hath  God  highly  exalted  him,  above  this  snffer- 
ing,  and  legal  obedience,  even  to  the  throne  of  his  F.Ul.v 
er,  uar!  hath  given  him  a  name,  aoove  every  nam.e.  Philf 
3.  8.  9.  Acts.  5.  30—31,     Heb.  8.  1. 


H.  1  can  see  more  clearh-  how  his  su^erivio-s  nlioiili 
Be  ••^nded  at  luSr  death,  thcin  how  his  ]''^?A  obedience 
ahoLiirj  be  ended  at  his  death.  There  are  many  ]>lace«' 
In  the  scriptures,  that  seem  to  represent  thc^t  this  Ici';al 
ebedience  must  continue  forever.  For  instance  ; — Christ 
i&  called  *hf  h^ad,  and  <^he  cluirch  is  called  bis  bod}-,  and 
In  this  sense,  t'ley  a  .  represented  as  being  one  Individ- 
■aal.  Now  I  cai-inot,  as  well  as  I  could  wish,  see  how 
the  body  shall  be  forever  under  law,  and  governments 
and  the  head  not  under  it. 

A.  Well,  he  will  forever  l^ive  the  law,  and  thf-  law- 
will  be  forever  in  his  heart.  But  he  oiice  came  under 
#!e  law,  not  to  be  ministered  urto,  out  to  minister.  M.itk* 
20.  2i5.  iVI?rV  ^c^  45.  He  took  upon  jiimself,  not 
th :  f  )nn  oi  a  master,  !:>ut  of  a  servant.  Phii,  2.  7. 
He  did  not  come  as  a  Kin^  or  ruler,  but  as  a  cubject  t© 
«bey  the  law.  And  he  becam.e  obedient  unto  death,  even 
the  death  of  the  cross.  But  after  his  death,  he  is  exalted 
'  on  the  throne,  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Magesty  in  the 
4ieavens. 

Nolong-erto  obey  as  a  subject,  but.  to  reign  King  of 
Kings,  and  Lord  of  lords  forever;  and  to  rule  over- 
-the  church,  which  is  his  Kingdom,  to  bless  it,  and  de- 
fend it  against  a:li  anoyance  forever;  under  God  the 
Father.  And  for  this  purpose,  all  things  are  put  u'lder 
his  feet.  1.  Cor.  15.  24 --23.  Da;i.  7.  13—14.  1 
say  under  God  the  Father  ;  .for  the  Son  will  deliver  up 
all  supreme  authority  to  God  the  Father,  and  be  siihjed^' 
•to  the  Father,  and  continue  his  covenant  faithful nes&, 
■and  obedience  forever ;  although  his  legal  obedience 
ended  at  his  death,  and  so  did  his  sufferings. 

But  his  sutFerings  were  adopted  by  the  Legislator  as 
•the  ground  of  pardon,  called  the -atone men t.  \nd  his 
su&rlngs  constitute  the  matter  of  the  at  me  nententire- 
!} .  And  his  obedien.ce  constitutes  no  part  '■-  hatever,'  fthe 
•mniter  of  the  atonement.  And  yet  his  sufF:;rr|igs  would 
liave  made  no  atonement,  witliout  his  obedience ,  i'Qg 


siich  su'7rnni--ys,  witlio.ut  t'le -ohp-'lience,  w^ii^d  have  an- 
s^v  red  the  purpose,  no  better,  tlian  the  suSerino^s  of  any 
•sinner.  Ris  covenant,  and  lep^al  obedience  both  Vv-ere 
necessary  to  constitute  him  a  l^mb  wiih^fUt  blemish. 
Ycf  it  was  his  obedj^nc?  to  law,  strictly,  that  honuiirad 
-die  law,  as  v^-as  said  before. 

Wihlle  on  the  oth^r  'land,  it  was  his  sufferins-s,  that 
honou^'ed  the  Governor,  as  has  been  shewn,  in  a  for- 
iTier    place,   and  was    adopted   as   the    legal  ground  of 


pardon. 


Th:  S  ■)n  having"  rendered  obedience  to  law\  while 
lie  endured  these  sufferings,  according  to  his  agreement 
in  the  covenant  of  redemption,  tells  his  Father, — I  liave 
finished  the  work  thou  gavest  me  to  do,  in  that  cove- 
nant; and  — t-ia  Son  Oa'^^s  it  to  the  Pither, 
with  whom  he  had  mad  i  ih-^  agreem'ent;  the  Fatl'.er 
accepts  it,  and  acknowledges  himself  well  pleased  witk 
all  the  work,  as  being  performed  perfectly  according  t* 
his  covenant  agreement ;  and  the  Divine  Legislator  a 
dopted  the  sufferings  as  the  law,  or  legal  ground,  or  a- 
tonement  authorizing  the  (/overnor  to  grant  pardon  t© 
all  criminals  that  can  be  pardoned  consistently  with  the 
said  of  government.  And  his  obedience,  or  faithfiil- 
'13 ess  entitles  him  to  the  reward. 

N.  Which  is  it,  his  legal  obedience,  or  his  covenarffc 
©bedience,  that  entitles  him  to  the  reward? 

A.  His  legal  obedience  was  a  part  of  the  w<-rk^ 
''wliich  he  was  to  perform,  according  to  his  agreement  in 
the  covenant  of  redemption  ;  but  it  Avas  his  covenant 
obedience  to  the  Father,  or  his  faithfully  fulfilling  his 
cnv'-nant  contract  v/ith  the  Father,  that  entitled,  him  W 
'tlie  reward. 

N  R  rm.  5.  19.  savs, — "Ashy  one  man's  disobed- 
ience,  many  were  made  sinners;  so  by  the  obedience  of 
one,  shr..ll  u:\ny  be  made  righteous.  N -w,  which  o- 
bedi^nce  is  thtU,  by  which  many  shall  be  made  right- 
eous? 


A.  'r'nu  n:\s  liis  oij^^di-^nre  to  th«  Uiw,  as  u  suij|ect. 
His  Iri'-Sfii-  covenar.t obedience  :v-  ">  >  i,  to  his  Fath_ 
er,  crui'l  d  hi  '1  to  the  rev/nrrl  iro-i  5;  i  ii  Oie  covenant 
oF  redenn>tion  ; — rbat  he  sh';uld  see  of  the  travail  of 
?iis  soul,  and  should  be  satisfied. 

But  it  was  his  obsdience  to  the  la-.v,  that  parti culirly 
prepared  the  way  for  their  hearts  to  be  renewed,  or  for 
them  to  be  made  righteous. 

For,  as  by  the  disobedience  of  one  man,  Adarn,  tlie 
law  was  tra^tsgressed,  and  dishonoured,  and  many  were 
made  sinners,  with  an  established,  legal  character,  and 
were  condemned  by  that  law,  to  be  punished.  See 
Con.  on  sin,  and  le':^al   character. 

So  by  the  obedience  of  one,  Christ,  the  law  must  be 
fulfilled,  and  honoured,  and  proved  to  be  good,  or  else 
the  Holy  Spirit  could  not,  according  to  his  agreement, 
go  on,  and  make  many  righteous,  or  make  new  hearts. 
For  making  them  righteous,  or  renewing  their  hearts, 
\vould  be  rescuing  them  from  the  penalty  of  the  la\r, 
^>r  against  such,  there  is  no  law,  and  the  Governor  coul€ 
Tiot  have  punished  them;  and  the  law  not  being  magni,- 
fied,  or  honoured,  or  proved  to  be  good,  confidence  i^jt* 
the  government,  might  have  been  weakened,  or  lost,- 
For  the  subjects  might  have  supposed  that  the  law  wa^ 
not  good,  and  that  this  was  the  reason  why  the  Goverii^ 
©r  did  not  punish  in  all  such  cases.  At  least,  they' 
might  have  suspected,  that  there  was  an  error  some- 
\vhere. 

Therefore  it  was  exceedingly  important,  that  the- 
©feedience  of  Christ  should  honour  the  law,  in  order- 
that  many  might  be  made  righteous,  for  this  rescued 
them  from  the  penalty  of  the  law  ;  and  that  the  suffer- 
ings of  Christ,  should  honour  the  governor,  and  be 
constituted  th.e  legal  ground  of  pardon,  or  atone iiient 
aut'iorizing  the  CJovernor  to  grant  pardon  to  all  that 
wer?,  or  w!'  be  nade  righteous,  which  pardon  restores 
•all,  of  an  established    righteous,  or  good  character.  ?-> 


I1< 

ci  i  -    1  >   ■  •  -     :■  1  n'eat.      \  .  '  <  s  .  :      \  •  '  S  «n 

obtains  his  rr-ri;- 1,  t>   a-'i;'")  hs  is  s  U'tl- 1    >      ■■.  --,    :)ve- 
uanr  filth  fa!  aess,  airl  .)be  li?n;!"  t )  his  Faf^i"r. 

\.  T  ^nd  supposfH,  that,  if  O-rl  as  a  sovereiirn,  ^5'  the 
H  h-  S  y^rk  as  a  distiici  ai^^ent,  sh  ni''l  i\^a  ;vv  ;i  sin.v-.r's 
b  ■i-''.  -ti'l  the  n-na!tv  ')<"  ^  ^e  law  '.i;'!i;ht  b'"  inflicted  on 
liim  aft-rwaf'ls,  as  well  asbof)^"^,  it  vvas  r-r-newed. 

A.  You  will  do  well  to  have  th-.tt  notion  r^cti^^d. 
^'F  ")r  against  such  there  is  no  1  iw."  Oah  5.  22  — 13. 
3?e  conversation  on  :is_tabHshed  legal  character,  ao  1  also, 
9n  .o;overnmental  princioles. 

I  have  said  that  it  took  his  covenant  obei-^i^^nce,  and 
his  le^al  obedience  both,  to  constitute  the  Son  a  la  ab 
rvithiut  ble-nish. 

But  this  is  a  different  noint;  this  is  a  natrer  t': :':  '■■in- 
terns liims-  If,  as  constitutin;^  his  own  oerfectlr  ;:;  •  ^d 
character,  and  distinguishes  hi  n,  f r  j  n  m  that  iis 
blernish. 

And  this  is  the  reason  why"  T  say,  his  su'T'rin<^s  witli- 
#)ut  his  obedience  would  have  answered  the  puroos'^  no 
better,  than  the  sufferings  of  any  sinner,  or  a  lanb  cov- 
ered   iver  with  blemishes. 

N.  I  have  heard  several  questions  oroposed. 

O  v^  is  this,   "Is  it  to   be  supposed,   t-rat   Gol,   as  a 

I  -  sovereit^n,  ^nay  daanv  thin?;^  with  or  f)r    a    ratrona'  re- 

sp'insible  creature,  that  would  r.-nler  it  incoasist^nt  ^'^r 

.    Li  n  as  Governor  to  extend  to  that  creature  sfovera  ne  it- 

^'    ai   princiides?" 

A.  Although,  as  it  respects  the  nature  of  r:nver:;";^atyj 
G  k1  as  a  sovereign,  '.naj^  consistently  enough,  do  viat- 
ever  h' pleases.  Yet  it  is  most  certain  that  he,  as  a 
•S  ivereii^n,  never  will  I  >  any  thin.«^  with  a  rational  crea- 
tu--:,  toat  w  iuld  ''ren'lir  itiacon  ist  -;  .':>r  hin  as  'r  ^v- 
eruo^,  to  extend  to  that  creature,  ;^;vci!rTi^  l  •  ici- 
ple.." 

But  a  rational  respansiblcr  creature,  as  a-  snnier  anJer 


142 

ih^  ^<uv.  is  also  unc''er  the  duniinioii  of  sin  with  im  es- 
la:  .:.:.  u  chaiacier,  and  the  sentence  .>fet;irnal  pu'iish- 
jn'r-iii  has  i^one  at^ainst  him,  i;i  visw  f  his  perpetually 
bad,  iiiid  established  character.  And  now,  if  after  the 
sentence  has  been  pronounced  against  hi^n,  the  S,>ver- 
eii^n  should  chaiij^e  his  heart,  he  would  not  be  the  same 
wicked  character,  against  which  the  sentence  was  pro- 
nounced. And  if  the  Governor  should  punish  him,  un- 
der this  new  character',  he  wni^d  not  be  extending,  or 
applving  governmental  prinrioles  to  that  creature,  or 
character,  but  tlie  reverse.  F^rit  would  be  treating 
hi'n  contrary  to  governinental  nriociples  ;  v/herefore 
Gf''-fi('ence  in  the  Governor  might  be  vveakened^  or  lost, 
\.hen  it  would  appear  that  he,  either  did  not  understand 
ilie  principles  of  the  govern mejit;  or  else  did  not  nay 
exact  attention  to  his  nfacial  business.  F^v  in  either 
oase,  the  public  good  mio-htnot  b^  promoted. 

N.  Another  question  is; — a  subject  of  law,  transgres- 
ses up  to  a  given  point  of  tihie.  Me  is  then  arraigned, 
and  condemned  justly; — w')iild  the  execution  of  the 
just  sentence,  irrespective  of  his  su]:)sequent  character, 
even  though  it  be  reformed,  weaken  the  public  con- 
iidence? 

A.  This  question  labours  under  a  misfortune  similar 
to  that  of  the  foregoing  question.  Tt  takes  for  granted, 
\  "bat  is  not  true,, and  vAdiat  ought  not,  and  cannot  be 
"  ^n  truth  and  propriefy.  It  takes  it  for  granted 
■lat  tue  "execution"  of  th6  sente-nce,  after  the  subjpct 
'xvas  refornaed,  and  his  character  changed,  and  good, 
v.-;'s  as  Just,  as  the  sentence  itself  was  just,  altliough 
/anced   while  the  subject  was  rebellion  .1    is 

jiot  true.  For  there  is  as  tuuch  justice  ia  ticaiMg  niai 
according  to  his  pteseat  character,  as  there  w  1$  for- 
merly, in  treating  iuin  according  to  iiis  chitracter  then.' 
Tlic  iLi\v  viev/edhim  a  wi  rebellious  suojxt,  u.'.dei-  t!ie 
d(>ini!iionv>f  sin,  with  an  established  bad  c'laract-.i,  did 
the  y.v  '■''r:''"n?'e-  of  legal  punishaient  went  against  him, 


hr 


.■w    !.  \- 


843 

in  that  same  le2;al  view  ')f  his  esfabli-ihe-I,  and  peroct- 
ual!y  bad   -^I.aiac  liit  uov/ if  he  be  .'.hanp-ed  by  the 

Snvereign,  and  reiorui.^d,  and  hh  charact^ir  j^ood,  after 
th-'^  sentence  has  gone  ai.^'ainst  '" 'i  ''is  civCiini  stance 
W'uld  alter  the  case  excGv^diMp;'  r  nDv/,  under  hie; 

gc-'d  character,  it  u'ou'd  he  as  j-\  -  ^  -  ■  ;-,vd  Jiim  with 
happiness,  a?  it  vv'^iid  have  h .    i    '  :   ;;unish   him, 

nrdcr  hisbad  character.  Anr^'v-  -    -■  • 

:inrc\i  n^ainst  the  other,  in  t^-     ■''■-. 

(  cfisK]  to        -v.  ■    . 

dci  his  prcseiit  reformed  eharact-:r,  he  'V)'i:  ]  ■ 
ecntint;  the  ''just  sentence,"  bir  '  ■  ^-  ■  '  '  ■  -'  :tinf^  di- 
re rd-^^  c^nt-rary  to  themearinp;  L'  ■.  Javr,  aivd 
j-ntcncc,  that  l^ad  f;  '  ■  w,  nnckr 
Ids  had  character. 

Far  the  (rovernor  w-^i-'  • '^     ~ ■        -  ■■■-\ 

ffin  him,  under  a  good    •/  r, 

the  law  intended,   s^honld  be   e:    r:^     '  a 

V^ad  character.     Wherefore    pii'. 

Governor,  mi o-ht  be  lost,  or  w^i^  ■■   ird 

be.  seen  acting?,  in  his  official  capac;  _  •  .  ritlv  fi'o-ii 
\v^at  the  lavv"  intended.  -■-    ■ 

N-  A  third  qn-stion  is  tbi-; — ^s  t'-e  si-i-r.,  ■'-. 
moment  lie  is  renewed  in  a  s')\  eir-hri  'Ti^inner,  to  h?i 
considered    and  trea'"ed  as    innocent    in  '^drt    r,?]i\\Y? 

A.    No;the]nwi3    ;"   ■  —  cd   to     ■-       "  ir-^nf 

apairst  the  h-'wdess.  and  r   r'd^^   rs  :;■ 
are]rrved  euihy     N' v.  ,  iT  ;  •      -    ■ 
and  tnoted   as  inr"  ctnt  i"'  -         "         \ 

n^i  pa'do",  nnr  theato^v      :'    :   ■•    "    ■;  ':.  :'   -    ^  ,,-j 

of  the  law  of    fidtli,  om  ^xliich     '^^^    !    ,.  ;  .  ^ut 

wid'' nt  ajiv  cf  these,  if  he  sl'^id  • ':>-  c  ••}^.'-\  :'\:  ]  i::no- 
cent  in  point  cf-!aw,  he  w-nld  i)e  r^-'^ar'^d  widi  ever- 
la:-dnL'  Hie.arc'-rdiro;  ro  law.  I  have  fTnrriv-  VuM.],  that 
sucf  arentwed  simier,  ci-u'd  m.t  be  pr:  "  :  d  a-  ■•idlly 
a-ccidirj;:  tf  liw.noi  treatec'  as  innrM-^eii  "ordin^- to 
kw;.ari€l  theiekyre  coiuci  not  be   treated  as  a  subject,  o*" 


^y 


114 

citizen  in  the  g'ovenimeiu,  ii:' there  had  been  as  atoue 
n.  :;'. ,  r  iavv'vJi  tiiitn  authorizing  tiie  Gi)venior  to  lur- 
(lon  hiai.  AJth.)Uy;h  it  ib  Lrii\ ,  iiecoaM  rut  bt;  s,  ..  jd 
as  ih  ocent  in  point  of  law,  yet  it  is  equaily  tiue,  mat 
he  c  -iild  not  be  trcaud  as  jr^'iiiity  in  poiiu  oi'  Lv.v;  i' r'  lie 
g;K>d  of  goveri!ni;;.:t,  woaid  i\vb;:l  fiis  ja\.--\  a^iit 
seeing  his  punishm-nt  u'oul     02  con  lu  \i\ 

ai;<l  mcJU'iiiig  of  the  law;  as  was  bii^wn  toi.u^iiy. 
But  to  barely  fordid  his,pu:ii,hinent,  iu  o-se  tliin-^-.  i-id 
to  ueai  lii'ii  as  innocent  n>  ]?oint  of  Ujw,  WHild  •-  ;n- 
tircly  ai, other  tiiUig;.    i     :  ,  i 

ner  cannot  be  treated  as  Li.;  x>;iU  ia  pj;:.t  oi'ia;v,  no/ be 
pusiisned  as  guiit)  according  to  law,  that  an  atonement 
is  abiioliiiely  ntcessjry,  on  account  of  which  he-  may  be 
pardoned.  F..r  v/iiaout  this  atonement,  he  c  )U;d  n:)t  be 
treated  as  a  subject,  or  citizen  in  the  gnvenniit.r!i,  see- 
ing he  could  not  be  punished  as  guiUy,  nor  rewarded 
as  innocent,  until  he  would  be  pardoned,  aad  restored 
to  his  rights,  liberties,  ai  1  privii^  ^i^  .is  a  ciLiz-jii,  )r 
surj  .'Ct  <5f  the  governrnenl.  I  uisii  it  to  be  drstnictly 
UPiderstood,  that  the  law  pr.ipo-.ed  everJasciag  life  t© 
the  innocent,  in  view  of  their  established  aad  perpe- 
li!;.;]}  go(id  character;  and  ii  threateVied  everlasiing  pun- 
ish T>ent  to  the  sinner,  in  view  afhis  established  aad 
pepetua'-y  bad  character,  w^iihoul  -aipp  sing.any  change 
cf  cl  L- raft;  r,  to  ever  tdie  place.  But  if  tne  sinner  oe 
i>f  vn  ed  in  coiiduct  ai,d  C'  aractc  r,  as  above  supposed, 
he  then  vwaild  re  t  be  of  any  characier  at  ail,  lar  me 
\i\\v  canteaiplated,  aa  I  t.i irefji,  aj  vm  1  i)  )e 
kn  wn  in  law.  Aad  the  G  r/era  )r  w  j\i'  I  ^lave  a  >  :  i  >;  i^ 
to  treat  hira  as  i moceat  in  p  )iat   •)ria^v,  aa  i  .ad 

of  govcnan -nt  w auld  faroi  i  it.  Vet  'le  w  uK!  ..avc  a® 
right  to  puaish  him  a-?  guilty,  and  tiis  g)ad  at  g.nern- 
n.f  rt  would  forbid  that  also. 

For   1  in  c'ersianc',  there  is  a  ^a^\   of  fairh,  or  an  aione- 

n  ei-.t,  '1   j'oc^  lint  of  wljich,  the  g^nernor  do "sreai)}     ar- 

C.cn  ihe  icn.inifcu,  oi  |;eiiueiit  Sihiiti,  peii'ecdy   c';-:'^*- 


U5 

*nt  with  the  law,   and  good  of  government.  But  if  it  is 
peifectly  consistent  with- the  na [are  of  the  law,   ^.i'.     \e 
p-ood  of  government,  ti  pard:)a  such  a  one;  then  it     ■  ist 
be  inconsistent  with  the  nature  of  tlie  law,  and  the       'd 
of  +he    government,  to  punish   him.     For  it  caniii;.,  oe 
equa!iv  consistent  with  the   law,   a-sd    the   good    f  the 
government,  to  oar  on,   or  paiish    :iin.      If  it  is;    hew. 
the  olan  of  r-de;a  )tion  is    of  r-o  u-';  f>r    there  wi     be 
no  a  vantage   to  the    government  throuia;h     he    pi;i..  of 
redemi^uon,  bv  pardoning;  more  ti>at!  mia:iU    liave  been 
wit':(  ut    it,   by    punisbing.     Bui  the    goo'J,x>r   er^d  jf 
jTovernneiU,   will  be  promctef'   by  pardoniiig  trse  refor- 
med   sinner;    therefore   the  end  of  government  Vv'ouM 
forbid  his  punishment. 

N.   A  fourch   question.      "I;  the  Governor  to    shrink, 
from  the  execution  of  a  righteous  penalty  upon  a  re  jsI- 
lous  subject,  because  the    sovereign  has,    between,   die 
moment  of  condemnation,  and  the  moment  of  execution^. 
interposed   and  changed   the   character    )f  iliat  suoject? 

A.  The  G  )venior  shoul  I  nfjver  "shrink"  from  the 
execuiion  nf  a  "ri,T'':t°';iH  .  penalty  uo  )o  a  rs'^elb  jus 
sul:)ject,"  when  the  b:Mi,-;ice  has  be^e  i  ;:r,::i  iiinc^l  by 
the  j'idr^e-  according  to  Iviw.  To  "Shrink"  in  -u  'i  a 
case,  w  )ul  i  i^e  a  derelicti  >n  of  f::Ilc;.il  duo.  Bu-' if 
tlie  sovereign  should  interpose  and  change  the  subject's 
character  from  had,  to  good,  as^  above  suoposei,  he- 
w  u!d    then  be    n  >  longer    the     "rebtlliou  .     su!:je::L."''' 

And  then  if  the  G'o.ernor  do  not  punish  him,  he 
will  not  be  "shrinking"  fr'un  official du":y.  But  the 
G'vernor  would  be  refusing  to  act  in  a  case  where  he 
had  noolHcial  cnuh.-dt\;  whicii  would  be  wise  and  ri.dit, 
F:r  if  there  were  no  atonement,  or  law  of  >  faith-  the 
Governor's  o&cia!  authority  v\!>u!dnot  extenBt-  ouck 
a  case.  And  now  \'yhen  there  is  an  atonemeni,  he 
Go\ernorhas  no  official  ^luthorirv  ov^r  such  a  cas  :  fa 
reformed  sinner,  bn  \^  :   \  ,  o  1     treat  him  ac- 

cording to  the  law  of  taah,  cr  gospel. 


146 

N.  Fiftfi  question.  "Thei  now  woiilc!  such  asiibjeci 
fee're!eus;i  ivoy,,  mtritteci  })iinishnient,  alter  the  sov- 
erejgi)  hac   clianged   the     criminals  heart?" 

A.    Farcion  is  the  only    governmental    release  from 
mcrintd    punishment.     Wherefore  if    there    were   n» 
atf  1  cnT'Cnt,  ( i  law  of  faith,  he  could  not  be  pardoned,  or 
re  ea!-ed    at  all.     And    it  is  because   he    could  not,  in  a 
g(  ^  ernmemal     manner,   be  crinsidered,  and  treated   as 
ini  rcent  inp(;int  of  law,  nor  pm  ished  according  to  law, 
pj r  pardoned,  or   released   from  meritted    punishment, 
TiOr  ary    other    governmental     act  v\hatever,    couM  be 
dc  re  fcr  hin^.  or  against  him,  that  he  could  not  be  trea- 
ted rs  a  citizen,  or  subject  in  the  government,  and  that 
{he  Govern(:r  would   ha\  e  nothing    to  do  with   him,  if 
tl  cie  v.ere  no  atonement,  but  just  let  hi;n  pass,  or  let 
hin  be.     ^'■ArC  this     shews  the     tjeat   necessity,  and 
propriety  of  the  atonement,    or  law  of  faith,  on  account 
of  ^-hkh  the  Gf  vendor  can  pardon  him,  cr  release  hiai 
fur    n  tritted   ]-ii)!^sl:ment,  ard  admit  bin-  into  all  ti:ie 
glfiicns  light,  liberties,  and  privileges    of  the  Son's  of 
God,    the    most  favf  ivred  subjects,  or  citizens   in    the 
government,   to  the  highest    honour  of    G  )d,  and    the 
hichest  good  and  happiness   of  God's  intelligent  King- 
dom.. 

Now  brother  N.  you  told  me  that  you  had  heard 
cii!  these  questions  proposed?  but  you  did  not  tell  me,. 
fc}  v»hrn]  y  u  heard  tht.m  prcpcsed!  Anr  because  T  sup- 
posed, they  had  some  weight  with  you,  when  you  h-eard 
them,  and  perhaps  more,  w'nh  whoever  proposed  tl-en^ 
1  have  tiied  to  answer  all  af  them  to  your  sati^facti'-Uj^ 
and  I  hope  }ou  will  be  able  to  answer  them  to  the  satis- 
faction ofalb^hf)  ma},  herea'-lcr,  pn.pose  them  to  yu^ 
Eiii  I  assure  yon,  J  r'jo  i  ( t  ai  swei  lh».-m  because  I  thrnplfc 
tr(}  v.ere  diffuult,  or  v\e!ghi\;  aid  it  \ou  will  beet  ane. 
U  '  i(  I  ghly  ;  cquair  ted  Vvith  the  s  <  \evnr  ertal  prii.(  i].!e& 
licicuioie  laic  d<An,}(i,  v, '11  '^.  c^  MulJ)  c(ivin- 
ceo,  tlr:.!  ihtse 'cb)cct/.ns,  cc. n.n.i.nn.aiea  thiti.gh  the 


i 


141 

questions,  do  not  lie  a:^ii  is;  ;  13  truth,  avi  ^vrvyntty  of 
thosj  ^^'ov^ni  neiit>il  priacip*es.  3j:  .ill  s.i:i  ))j3:t!;)as 
aris'i   fro  fi  s  )  112  i  13  orf^cr  vl-^-.v  ^^     3=  )' i    l>ctrii2. 

Fii-ilin^'  c  )'ivii3?  I  )fi'i2  tra^  1  ill  )r):)r(^ty  of 
those  governmental  principles,  as  bein^  taught  m  the 
Bible,  andnot'iii^  there  taa^it  m  th^  contraiy,  I  ii'/e 
bui^  stated  the  n  in  the  olainestani  shortest  niiisr 
I  well  could,  without  U'lch  lab  var  to  e^oiain,  or  sup- 
port them;  hoping  those  staternents  would  secure  your 
•on^  in  cement. 

And  then  I  felt  satisfie  1  that  every  eff)rt  afterwi^'ls 
to  e  a  nine  them  hon?stlv,  or  even  t.^  refute  then, 
would  confirm  you- in  the  belief  of  their  truth.  There 
is  uo  Bible  objection,  that  can  be  laid  a^iMs:  ':h:)se 
governmental  principles;  for  there  is  not  a  word  in  the 
Bible  to  the  contrary.  And  in  a  short  time,  you  nay 
{become  so  well  acquainted  with  those  principles,  and 
see  their  bearings  on  the  different  points  so  realily, 
that  you  may  6a<^>ily  answer  any  questi  )is,  that  niv^  be 
froposed,  or  objections,  that  niav  be  urged  against  the.n. 


Imputation. 


K.  Friend  A.  you  oiike  it  appear  very  clearly  tltat 
ihe  atonement  is  th-  foundation  of  the  law  of  fairh. 
and  as  such,  it  is  the  proper  grou  id  of  pardon,  aid  ac- 
©or.ling  to  which,  or  on  account  of  wiiich,  the  G)verii 't- 
will pardon  every  penitent  oeiievi  ig  siaaer.  .i  1 1  yet  it 
seems,  as  if  somiething  was  lacking. 

A.   \VelI,  what  is  it? 

N.    vVas  not  every  believer's  sins  imputed  to  Christ; 
and    Christ's    righteousiess  i  npaced  to  every  benev- 

A.   Ves,  in  this  sense  ,-*-Jiiri5tiJLi;Fert;d  for  tiielr  siii;s,^ 


148 

ortbat  tbeymi'rlit  be  parlonsi;  an']  th^y  are  pardoned 
on  ic.vjMt   of  his    sut^rivj^s,    'vrci  c  )  isti  ;a:e.  t  is  a- 
tontment. 

N.  But  was  he  not  accouiitel  guilty,  ia  the  view  of 
law?  '      - 

A.  N"i,  t  .e  law  viewsi  hin  as  i-rioce'it,  whi':h  -/as 
the  tvath  Oi  th*.- cas  i.  Add  .he  bulTered,  tae  just,  for 
the  unjns*". 

N.    'x^'hat  isLi:ui)t? 
A«  Tt  isiii  d  -sert. 

N.'  iV.iy  n!,!^'it  we  not  say,  that  f^ailt  is  a  liability  t© 
punish -^Teiit? 

A.  Because  it  wiu'd  not  be  correct ;  for  an  i  m  >cent 
person  nii;^htbe  11  ib!^  to  ounish  nent,  in  an  uoja>t  ^:^  )v- 
arnment;  like  Christ  wars,  bef)r-  that  unjust  v.i  ma 
court,  that  tried  hin.  \od  ai^uilty  person  ni  ^ht  be  lia- 
ble t  >  escape,  li^-'e  B.irabbas  the  robber,  .who  was  re- 
kased. 

N.  If  sin  had  been  made  over  to  Christ,  in  sunh  £t 
sense,  as  that  he  should   have  been  considered  a  sinner 
aiid,  guilty, 'in  the  view  of  law  ;   would   this   have   beefi 
Tmputatior.? 
A.  No;    but  a  transfer  of  character,  andc^uilt  both. 

N.  If  Christ's  righteousness  had  been  so  uai^e  over 
fo  the  penitent  believing  sinner,  as  that  he  sh  )uid  Siav^e 
feeen  considered  personally  innocent  and  righteous,  ITi 
view  of  law;   would  that  have  been  irapatan  )n? 

A.  No;  that  would  liave  bien  a  transfer  of  charactel' 
•also,  ai:!d  good  desert. 

N.  Well,  call  it  what  you  will;  why  might  not  t\\t 
•sin-,. of  the  penitent  believing  sinner,  have  been  so  n il-e 
ever  LO  C   rist,  as  rlrat  he  shoaid  -sidered  person- 

'all_;  a  sinner  aiid  guilty,  in  the  view  ■>!   iww? 

A.  It  would  be  possible  in  the  nature  of  tne  case, 
Vb  do  It;   because  it  iinpiies  a  coiuradicuon. 

JSi.    vVriL;rei;i  is  tne    co      a       >.o   ? 

A.  Christ  ^ras  perfecu/  mnuceui,  aiid  not  guilty,  and 


14«) 

the  Inu-  di^  rea'lv  vi-'^whi  n  so,  A'^d  T  t^^e  taw  M-ouVd. 
atih^  sa-.ne  tine,  vijw  'li  a  a-,  a  si'iaer  wv\  G;uilty,  it 
w  Ml'  1  view  hi  n  t  v  i  'V-ivs  c>  ura^y  to  each  other,  an  1, 
ther-Fore,  would  coif-a  (icr  itself.  \ni  to  su  ^pose  hi  a 
personally  io'ioceiit,  ao-i  not  <^Liilty ;  anri  o-rsooally  a 
•sii-.nerai-i  ^'iiiltv,  suoo  OSes  h^n  the  two  coarrary  ways, 
w'-ir'i  i-  a  contradi  ri )  i  in  the  nature  of  ^he  case. 

N.  I  ac^ree,  it  vv)uld  be  a  contradiction,  in  the  na- 
■tur?  >f  the  case,  to  snopose  hiii  personally  innocent, 
and  not  f^ailtv;  and  personally  a  sinner,  aid  'i;ailty, 
both  at  the  same  tioie,  and  in  the  same  sense.  A-d  al- 
so, if  tie  law  should  view  and  consider  him,  in  these 
two  wavs,  it  would  contradict  itself.'. 

Bu'. -misfht  he  not,  be  really  personally  innocent  or 
lioly,  and  personally  not  guilty  ;  and  at  the  same  time^ 
really  legally  a  sinner,  and  legally  guilty.  And  might 
not  the  law  consistently  enough  consiler,  and  view  hir^ 
in  these  two  characters  ;  one  being  a  personal  character^, 
and  the  other  a  legal  character? 

A.  No;  for  a  person,  out  from  under  law%  and  gov- 
ernnientj  would  be  neither  holy,  nor  unholy  ;  innocent^ 
nor  siji^illlK  He  would  have  no  moral  character  at  all^ 
and  dn  course  he  would  be,  "not  guilty."  For  sin  is 
the  transgression  of  the  law;  and  where  there  is  no 
law,  thei'e  is  no  transgression.  There  is  no  pers  )naj 
holiness,  or  sin,  bat  v/!iat  is  legal  ;  and  there  is  no  le-^ 
gal  holiness,  si.i,  or  gailt,  but  what  is  personal. 

N.  I  agree,  this  is  really  true.  But  insomuch  as 
"Christ,  was  ni.ide  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin;  and 
bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree.  2.  Cnr.  ' $_. 
21.  and  1.  Pet.  2.  24.  Might  not  the  law  suppose  hi  a 
to  be  a  sinner,  and  punish  him  as  a  sinner,  on  our  ac- 
count, especially,  if  he  be  willing  to  it? 

A.  Mo.  This  would  be,  by  far,  the  mou  m)nstr3iiS 
suoposition,  or  fiction  of  law,  ol  which  I  have  ever 
read  or  heard. 

N.   Why  is  it  so  monstrous? 


i^9- 
A,  Because  it  woiilr]  he  simposing  one  of  the  preat ; ';; 
lalsehoods,  in  th-  ua-v-rs?,  to  be  one  of  the  grear  st 
Ttru  'is  ii  the  universe.  And  that,  in  point  of  iniiaite 
■9)  ^s-quence.  A  point  where  the  honour  of  G  )d.  'a« 
a  iegishitor,  is  concerned;  where  the  honour  of  the  ;;'i7 
is  concerned:  where  the  honour  of  the  Divine  Govem- 
©r,;js  law  maintainer,  is  concerned  ;  aid  a  point  wW  re 
•ii"  infiiiite  honour  of  the  Son  of  God,  is  concerned. 
Jlsa  it  is  a  point,  on  which  t'le  hi^^liest  good  and  hap- 
piness, of  God's  intelHgent  universe,  depends;  and  a 
point  to  which,  dH  the  eyes,  in  the  intelligent  universe, 
are  particultrly  directed,  t)  see  all  these  particulars  dis- 
played, in  the  brightest  ir.ari-er.  Ko  wonder,  if  hea'*^- 
Qf\  and  earth  shmld  have  been  frightened  at  such  a  fic- 
tion of  law. 

N.  Friend  A.  if  this  be  true,  let  us  be  extremely  cau- 
s^ious,  but  let  us  continue  to  examine  it  until  we  see  its 
outcome. 

A.  Agreed. 

N.  Then  I  will  agi'ee,  that  the  law  would  have  fd- 
•suppose  something  to  be  a  great  truth,  which  was  not 
the  truth  ;  but  a  mere  legal  supposition,  and  to  be  so  un- 
derstood, by  all,  that  should  look  at  it. 

Now  if  it  sli-Aildbe,  thus,  known  to  be  a  mere  fiction  of 
law,  and  if  all  that  great  good,  of  Mhich  you  have  spokeny 
could  be  brought  out,  by  acting  on  it  as  a  fiction  of  lavy^ 
it  would  not  seem  to  be  monstrous,  although   it  \toald 
b3  truly  great. 

A.  Fnend  N.  although  you  know,  that  I  most  posi- 
tively deny  that  there  is  one  legal  fiction  in  the  whole 
syste.u  of  Divine  law,  and  particularly  I  deny  it,  itl 
this  case  before  us  ;  yet  I  will  try  to  siiew  you  the  oiit- 
eome  of  ihissupposedlaw  fiction, 

N.    This  IS  u^hut  I  want. 

A  I'iieo,  it  is  a  good  rule,  in  any  system  of  civil  law, 
\v'here  k>  '-ii  ncdoas  are  admitted,  that  hw  fietl  jij    na^t 


151 
'do  ^oor\,  and   tniist  not  work   any  injury  to   any  one. 
D""  V   ,1  ainit  this,  to  be  a  f^v^cl  rule? 

N".  \^es;  T  think  it  is  a  -^ood  rale.  .Y)'¥  wh3.t  injury 
won!  !  I>^  done  to  any  loe,  hv  actin^^stricdy  accordin'^  t?j 
lavr,  -^-n  this  supposed  law  fiction? 

A.  I  wish  you  to  remember,  that  the  rule  requires  that 
(ynci']  should  be  done, by  actin«^  strictly  oi  it,  as  well  as- 
that  no  injury  "^hou'd  be  dDnetoaiv  one.  A.nd  unless 
this  be  done,  th--.  fiction  is  a  vain  fiction,  and  not  admis- 
sibl-i  in  any  system  of  law. 

.Y  The!!.  1  a^^ree  that  a  law  fi.-^tion  would  be  a  per- 
fectlv  vain  fiction,  and  not  admissible  in  any  system  of 
law  whatever,  if  real  good  be  not  done,  by  acting  strictly 
on  it,  and  "also  that  no  injury  be  done  to  any  one.  JVjW 
what  good  might  be  done  by  acting  strictly  on  it? 

A.  jYone  as  I  conceive ;  for  according  to  this  supposed 
law  fiction,  the  law  supposes  a  fictitious  sinner,  not  a 
teal  sinner.  And  to  act  strictly  on  trie  fiction,  the  Ia# 
must  punish  the  fictitiou.:!  sinner,  and  none  else, 

Aow  no  real  good  could  ever  result,  from  the  law 
punishing  such  a  fictitious  sinner  ;wherefore  the  fiction,, 
would  be  a  perfectly  vain  fiction. 

A.  I  agree  to  it  in  that  sense.  Bat  Christ  has  mor6 
Ihan  the  supposed  fictitious  sinful  cha^'acier.  And  why 
Hot  suppose  the  law  to  punish  lii  a,  under  that  fictitioU'S 
mnful  character? 

A.  Remember,  that  the  fiction,  must  not  work  any 
injury  to  any  one.  Christ  was  perfectly  innocent,  of 
holy  according  to  law.  And  if  it  would  have  been  g 
great  injury  to  him,  for  the  law  to  punish  him  that  was- 
innocent,  without  this  fiction;  it  would  have  be  in  s. 
greater  injury  to  him,  for  the  law  to  punish  him  under" 
this  ficnon.  For  it  w^ould  have  ojen  adding  reproach' 
to  the  pu  lish  nent. 

A*.   H  nv  would  it  add  reproach? 

A.    By  calling   dm  a  s  n\er,  when  he  was  no  sinner.- 

A'   How   could   thi^a  be  a  reproacn,  vfhQa  u  v/as  if- 


J52 

i:^-'^^  '    '  ^  ;"  '  '■     ■!  i"v^  • .  v"v  k'vi  V  1,   thit  it      -  :  t, 

iTT^r  "  ':"   ^  \      /y:?.  ncti-i   of  Jaw.     H)^'?' 

coiil^i  a ^iia'rs. supposition  rep-oach  any  otv^? 

A.  Rememlv?!',  fh^t  by  ke-^ot'ic^  iir)  the  su'>')osition^ 
dfstincily,  as  a  mes':.  fiction  of  law,  anl  actin'i;'  stricr^y  oa 
.that  fiction,  and  int  departing  fron  it,  tlie  hnv  vv)a":l 
punish  jiothing  but  that  fictitious  ch '.acter  n°i'?Iv;  aii 
this  v/oulfl  !^c  doing- no  ^)od  whatever;  wh^r^fo''?  the 
fiction  would  be  perfectllv  vain,  as  v/as  shevvn  before. 
But  if  the  laiv  shouM  punish  an  annoc-^nt  peroi  uvier 
that  sr. ere  fiction  of  h\w,  it  would  be  a  f^r  at  departure 
from  the  fiction  of  hiw;  and  it  would  be  makin,^  an  earnest 
of  the  ^ner-:^  supposition,  to  the  reproach  and  great  in- 
jury of  the  ianccent  pers-)n,  wli )  was  punished  under 
thatficti')n.  Wherefore  su  ^h  a  fictlDu  could  not  be  ad- 
mitted in  law. 

N.  But  this  great  injury  would  arise,  by  departing 
from  th-  fiction,  and  punishing  the  innocent  pe -son, 
which,  T  admit,  would  be  a  great  injuiy.  And  now  I 
wish  to  knovy,  how  a  mere  supposition  could  reproacia 
any  one? 

A.  There  is  a  gi'eat  difference  between  a   mere   sup- 
position, and  a  mere  vain  supposition. 
A  supposition  maybe  consistent  with  the  nature  of  truths 
and  suppose  something  to  be  tru^  which   wa^  not;  aiid 
yet  not  inconsistent  with  the  nature  of  truth.     Such  a- 
suppositiou   uight  be  wise,  and    i:is.vers)ai    x'-aluajie 
purpose,  and  injure  no  one,  and  be  a  reproach  to  no  ohSf 
but  Tiigin  be  some  credit. 

But  a  ni3re  vain  suppoiiti  )U  is  nry  diiF^rent.  It 
i^iiglit  be  inconsistent  with  the  nature  of  truth,  and 
might  suppose  something  to  be  true,  which  was  faLje,- 
and  inconsistent  with  the  nature  of  truth,  and  was  a.^^ 
absurdity;  and  could  do  no  2:0 od,  and  wouid  p.  'c  be 
\\ise.  But  would  shew  a  defjct  of  w^sd^)nland  propri- 
ety, arj  1  ol  coijrse  it  would  Oe  i  perfectly  va;a  ficiion, 
©r  supposition;  audit  would  be,  at  least  in  this  sen:ie,. 


158 

aveT>mac!i  to  any  <^^'1P»  th;\^  vv)?iM  ^h^i'^r  'iti^^'^  it,  or  \v\i- 
JircrU  su'vTiit  tp.it,  or.  beiievs  in  if,  ;r  ' ^  ;  ■.wr^:\nv, 
ai!t  r  it  vii-  m.^d<^.  F  rr  it  nii-t  le  s'l  nt  r.M:)r^<ic'\  ■"  >  .i  iy 
01  f .  to  even  iniao-jne  a  \.vin  t'nnf^.  And  siicii,  I  con- 
ceive, to  be  the  vaiii  fiction  before  us. 

I  most  positively  dery,  that  such  a  fi 'tinn  has  any 
exister.re  in  the  law  of  Cr  v\  v  thcitth-  B^^--  intin'Vf':;3 
ar"^  Dcl.  a  thirs^.  And  I  a n^  fully  copvinred,  that  the 
orb  A\'av  for  any  one,  and  every  one  in  the  iini\«'-se,  to 
I<eep  their  garments  unspotted  f-ou  renrvAcn  by  it^ 
•^vcujd  be  to  neither  make  it,  nor  behev.'^  in  it,  n v  :^':ve 
sanction  to  it,  nor  5;ive  it  currency,  nor  even  ccnnive  at 
It,  as  it  passes  alono;. 
A.   Whvall  this? 

A.  Because  it  supposes  a  contradiction  in  the  la'V,  a 
0ontradicdon  in  the  nature  of  the  case,and  a  contradiction 
to  the  very  nature  of  truth.  It,  of  course,  suoooses  a  j^^eat 
defect  in  the  \visd:)iTi  of  God  as  al^s^^islat  m\  in  ;;^ivio  ^  ">a  di 
a  law;  and  in  the  Judi2;e,  f  )r  renderiof^  such  a  jul^^n^  it, 
and  in  the  Governor,  for  maintaining;  such  a  h-.w.  A'ld 
to '■uopose  this  I an^  carried  into  execution,  in  the  c.ise 
of  the  Son  of  God,  which  we  calb  d  a   !e  Jirtu  'i  Tr  )  i  ^13  ^ 


^r 


r.on, 


s  It  so     11a  VI   toe    7  )'s-^ 


fl- 


it    Sll  )  )^  ii; 


ene  :)f  the  i^reatest  no:ik  trials,   tiiat   evsr  oiiLd    b^  re- 


€Qrded  in   the   historv  ')f  Kv 


4^  [ 


)  I: 


)i   t  le 


proceedings  c  )atrary  to  ia^  oatu'e  jf  t:i-    p;in3ipl33   o 
law,  and  2;overnTient. 

Njw  to  suppose  the  S^^i  willing  t)  be  treated  this  wiy, 
supposes  a  great  defect  in  his  wisdoni;  and  in  the  good- 
ness jf  the  Father,  in  sending  his  Son,  to  be  treated  this 
way.  Aiidyet,  toca:)  ti:  c-i  aiz  of  losu.  lits%  ail  thii  is 
sup;iosed  to  be  done,  in  jrierto  magnify  tiie  law,  and 
make  it  honouraole;  md  to  disoiay  che  oii  ute  wis- 
"do  o,  a  d  g  >  )diiess  of  G  )d,  beibre  toi  iye^  of  an  ad- 
miriiig  U.uverse. 

N.    iVeli,  friead  A.    wiial  you  say,  appea  ■ 
if  It  aiusc  De  true,  diid  toac   tae    wuoie    dl; 


IS 


154 

fic^'oj-j  wouVl  have  a  tendeiiCy  directly  contrary  to  that, 
^\hich  V  v.:-'--  intended  to  Have;  uid  that  it  is  a  lost 
TP'r,--tr:  us  fi' tion.  And  yet  T '1 -u't  see,  so  clearly  as 
I  L   uld  vvisli,  how  to  do  vvithoU'  it. 

.'].    Wdi,   a'other  N.  wivac  is  yet  Jacking? 

N  It  almost  settms  as  if  a  whole  atonement  was  lack- 
ing. 

A.  H■>^v  so ;  did  I  not,  i  ^  the  cfovernir.ental  princi- 
ple'-, shew  ynu  the  atoiienient  clear  enoui^h.'' 

N.  You  shewed  me  there,  hr>\v  ihe  atonement  was 
STade,  and  hy  whjit  nurhority  the  siifTerings  were  in- 
£ii 'ted,  and  how  the  law  was  honoured,  an'  how  the 
Gr^vernor  was  honfaired,  and  how  the  atonement  is  the 
lepra!  ground  of  pardon,  and  on  account  of  which  tiie 
Governor  will  pardon  every  penitent  believin;^  si'iier. 
But  you  did  not  shew  me  any  quid  pro  quo,  on  account 
©f  which  pardon  was  granted. 

A.  But  when  I  shewed  you  how\>ardoii  was  f^raciou'  ly 
an  I  freely  granted  on  account  of  the  atonement.,1  shewed 
ym  a  plenty  on  that  p  )imt,  and  I  did  not  intend  to  slievt^ 
you  aiiy  other  "quid  pro  qu.)"  about  it. 

What  do  y  ;U  n  iaa  by  *'(|ui  d  pro  qu  )?"   ' 

N.  I  mean  something  for  something.  You  know,  the 
law  allows  no  one,  something  f^r  nothing.  And  the 
something  given,  must  be  of  equal  value,  with  the  some- 
Ihiiig  received,  or  else  there  will  be  no  reciprocity. 
Now  you  have  shev/ed  me  none  of  all  this;  you  have 
shewed  me  nothing  of  a  legal  set  ofi,  of  equal  valus  in 
la'v,  with  that  thing,"  frotn  which  the  sinner  is  released, 
\Viien  he  is  pardoned.  I  feel,  therefore,  ahnoit  as  if  a 
whole    atonement    was  lacking. 

A.  Well,  I  as-.ure  y)u,  that  I  neither  believe,  nor 
intended  to  shew  you,  any  of  all  this.  Anil  no  vv  sus- 
pect y')ur  ieeiings  about  it,  are  soaiewhat  like  a  persons 
ft-.ijgh  aooLit  witCiies^  and  giiobts,  after  he  Ijegius  to  e 
convinc'.cij  that    tiiere  are   none  to  be  seen.     And  tae 


ioofier  you  £^et  clear  of  thib.-  .'j^Minp^s,  the  better  it  mil' 
fee  i  )f  \  >a. 

N  But  in  the  metin  time,  sLr>pose  a  nii  wis  t)  •  .^u- 
you  talk,  as  you  have  talked  to  me,  '  i  ;g  here,  kI 
he  should  tell  you^  that  it  neevned  to  Li;u,  as  i?  .  ii 
denied  the  atonement,  and  that  he  could  not  be  convi:  :  .  d 
to  the  contrary.    What  would  you  ■-ay  t)  b.i  n? 

A.   I  would  tell     hi  n  thai  it   va's  anot'"i^;-  va':-;    Irviju 

of  his  own   huaj^inatiou,   A:\d  not  a  wor  I    jf   iio  '".  ;  i  it. 

\nd  if  he  could  u'^t  be  convinced,   I  '^h  miH    th\  \k,   he 

,  IS  almost  as  stU;>id  as   a  mule,  whei!'!?!- I    ;>hoald   teli 

hiuiso,  or    not. 

N.  Wei!,  in  order  that  my  feeiino's,  may  be  relieved, 
as  soon  as  p;^ssib!e,  let  me  ask  you;- — 'i^l  oot  the  lixw 
threaten  eternal  punishment  to  every    sinner? 

A.  yes,  it  did. 

N.  Did  Ch.-ist  suffer,  and  I'Teeby  procu^'e  an  atone- 
ment, on  account  of  w'lict!  ato;ienient,  pe'^titent  beiieve- 
ing  sinners,  should  be  pardoned. 

A.   vcs. 

N.  Did  the  law  threaten,  or  req'iire  of  Christ,  i;i  any 
.■2:iS3  whatever,  that  he  should  suiTer  as    he  did? 

A.  No,  in  no  sense;  for  it  vvas  not  the  penalty  of  the 
law,  he  suffered  at  alL 

N.   How  then  did  he  receive  his  su.Tenno^s? 

A.  Frf)in  the  haod  of  his  hon;,ured  Father,  according 
to  his  agreement,  in  the  c  neisau  of  rtdempti  :n,  as 
was  sheun  in  the    govern  me  nUd    principles, 

N.  Did  he  make  an  atonement,  as  broad,  as  the  \\  hole 
iiuman   family? 

A.   Yes,  he  did,  fuDy. 

N.  How  much  pain  did  he  sulFer,  in  order  to  accomp, 
iish    this? 

A.  I  do  not  know  how  n;uch;  hut  it  was  a  vast  quanlity. 

^.   V  as  it  an    n  fmi-e  -pi.  mity'? 

>'\:   No;  for  an  iiifiiiite  qLUiiUtj  of  paui,    woulu  be  adj 


156 

tJiat  could  be    suffered  without  beginning-,  and  wirlmul 
&nd. 

N.  W^-ih — Did  he  suffer  as  naich  pain,  as  ti.i,  \\i)ole 
hunun!  far  i'y,  \Yould  have  suffered,  throughcut  cteniitYj 
if  none  Juid  heen  redeemed? 

A.  N'  ;  it  vv  .'uhl  have  been  a  j^reat  pity,  he  should. 
~    N.   \^  hy  '>'ould  it  have  been    a  great  pity? 

A.  Bcr  11^  -  ^  government  \\-oiij-l  have  sustained 
fin  ore  loss,  than  {he  a'''vanta£;'e  gained  liy  it. 

F'T  pint  \s\]]  *  e  lost,  '^f  the  huinaT^  t"arni]y,  ai  suffer 
fort  \  r.  Ard  Chiist  ■\'\'as  ns'  c:^nahl^  nf  er-!  vr--'  hap- 
piness, as  he  vi  'M. 
of  happiness  he  list,  r>iu>t  !)e  in  sorae.  piop-uii 
the  quantity  of  pairi  he  suffered.  Bu'  if  he  ^iT^-vc  ,  as 
much  pain,  asthev.all  would  have  suT^''3d,  if  no'v  had 
been  r  leeni-d;  then  he  lost  as  nuch  haoninT-ss,  as 
thev  all  v\'ruld  have  .  gai  led,  if  a'-^  ha  1  been  Vedee  ned. 
And  if  we  stf>p  at  this,  there  wiulrl  h-Ave  been  as  ;nu"h 
pain,  and  as  lirtle  hanninessin  the  g^n-e-n  ne.it,  as  there 
woul-^  have  he -n,  if  he  had  n  -t  suffered.  .  And  he 
might  as  v.--ll  not  ^lave  suffered,  fvr  there  would  have 
been  nr  happi?ess  p:ained  in  the  government,  in  conse- 
quence of  him  suffeiinij.  But  if  part  of  the  human  fa-n- 
ily,  alter  a!!,  be  lost;  then  h.e  had  far  h-etter  not  to  have 
suffered,  f'  r  the  cl  ar  loss  sustained  in  the  p-overnment, 
would  l;e  in  j.n-op' rrion  to  the  number  ]<  at.  Fortlicre 
W'uld  have  been  just  s)  much  less  happiness,  and  iDre 
pain,  i  the  g' iverr-nient,  than  would  ha\  e  been  in  the 
gnxerumgnt,  if  he  had  not  snff  r.^^d.  And  diis  w  u!d 
have  been  a  great  '''V,  a;id  drawback  on  the  g'nernmcnt. 
And  further,  all  tie  ha|)pinesv  w  iild  have  been  gained 
h\  the  gui't'v,  ai!'.'"'  diegrta':  T  the  pain,  ^uff-M-ed 
by  the  i;  rf cent,  v  l.iv  1  W(  uUl  ha\e  been  a  great  f  efor- 
IP!!\  in  tl  (   gc  ^  errn.t  i;1. 

N.   \*  h'^    ndcl  T  r-  ^  (  1  i"-!  I  ■  \f  ;  I  F  ^r  r'  ins?  a;-  r  nch 

etern  ty,  ii  ihfi  hau  i*ot -ttei.  iccttnAtci,     Ahd  iLiS  bui' 


157 

rering  of  Christ  laid  in  as  a  legal  set-o'f,  on  account  ol 
A\hich,  they  might  be  pardoned  and  released? 

A.  For  the  reasons  given  above,  there  would  have 
been  just  as  much  pam,  and  as  little  happiness  in  the 
••overnment,  as  if  he  had  not  suffered  ;  and  consequently, 
there  would  have  been  no  governmental  advantage  ,r9.'m- 
ed.  But  the  difiei-ence  would  have  been,  that  the  guilty 
crnt  the  happiness,  and  the  innocent  suffered  the  paiu ; 
which  would  have  been  a  great  pity,  and  an  unwise  mis  • 
fortunate  inconsistency,  and  the  same  kind  of  a  deform- 
ity in  the  government,  as  the  one  above.  And  no  ration- 
al mind  in  the  government,  could  understand  it,  ?aid  be 
pleased  with  it ;  except  some  perfectly  selfish  being,that 
thought  himself  interested  in  it. 

But  even  if  there  had  been  no  such  deformity  in  it,  as 
that  stated  above;  yet  it  would  not  have  done  for  a  legal 
set-oif,  for  the  law  claimed  no  such  a'set-off,  in  order 
that  the  penitent  sinner  might  be  pardoned,  and  released 
from  punishment. 

N.  Although  the  law  did  not  claim  it  of  liim,  yet  might 
not  Christ  have  freely  offered  it  as  a  legal  set-off,  and 
mJght  not  the  lavv^  have  admitted  it,  and  accepted  it  as  a 
legal  set-off,  and  the  law  being  thus  satisfied,  might  it 
not  have  released  the  sinner  on  that  account? 

A.  No,  sir.  For  if  that  had  been  done,  there  would 
have  been  no  pardon,  or  forgiveness  in  it;  for  that 
wculd  have  been  paying  a  debt  to  the  utmost  farthing. 
But  if  I  pay  a  debt  to  the  last  farthing,  until  the  law  is 
satisfied,  and  justice  satisfied;  nothing  is  forgiven  me, 
and  my  creditor  would  have  no  right  to  say  he  had 
forgiven  me  any  thing;  neither  am  I  under  any  obligation 
to  thank  him  for  releasing  me,  after  I  had  paid  the 
debt. 

Or  if  my  friend,  or  surety  pays  the  debt  for  me,  still  my 
creditor  is  t-ntitled  to  no  thank^;for  he  has  forgive  nothing; 
and  I  should  be  under  obligation  to  thank  my  friend,  wh© 
paid  the  debt  for  me,  but  no  one  else. 

N 


15§ 
EiU,  cccrrdii'ti-  to  ihe  Gcspelcr  law- orfaitb,  the  whole 
£ve  1  r.rvMtc  pci.CL  is  r(;i-fii\cii,  or  fieclv,  and  >^rac ions] v 
r  arc!  o  lied. 

And  I  air.  released  frora  the  punishment;  but  Tarn  laid 
undercn  evcrlastiig  ob]iG;ation,  to  thank  God  the  Father, 
Sen,  c.i  d  Hoi}  Spirit,  foi  iliis  free,  arid  gracious  pardon, 
which  is  granted  on  account  of  the  atonement,  as  a 
legDi  pround,  or  law  of  the  government,  authorizing 
*he  C(  venor  to  rnMU  pardon.  EaU,  ifthe  atonement 
e  ti-l.ei.  ss  a  legal  f_.ct-r"n",  in  the  pnyment  cFa  debt,  by 
vhich  law  arc!  justice  are  satisfied ;  then  I  should  nei- 
vher  o-et  nor  need  anv  rnrdon  or  foreiveness ;  but  the 
very  lav.  itself 'a  ould  release  n;e  ikav.  the  debt  or  pun- 
ishment, and  also  frcns  iu]  obligation  of  thankfulness, 
except  barely  t®  the  friend,  who  paid  the  debt  for rae. 
2n.  We-ll,  friend  A.,  this  looks  very  stiff ;  but  I  will 
lict  give  up,  uiuil  I  tr}  }<•  u  iigain.  Did  ChrTst  suffer 
;..s  niuch  pain  as  one  of  the  human  family  would  have 
suiTercd  thrcughcut  eterr-ity,  if  he  had  not  been  re- 
deemed? 

A.  I  do  not  think  he  did.  Because  I  think  he  suffered 
"iO  more  pain  than  his  human  nature,  being  supported 
by  ills  Divine  nature,  was  enabled  to  bear  in  the  space 
of  a  short  time  ;'  whereas  eteri-sity  has  no  end.  Neiilier 
does  the  BilJe  say  he  did;  or  even  intimate  any  ^ruch 
a  thing. 

N.  What  a.n  vantage  would  be  gained  in  the  govern- 
ment, by  him  sufi^ring   so  little? 

A.  Remember  that  tic  quantity  of  happiness  he 
'ost,  vasin  sen  e  pKjcitifr.  tc  tit  quai.tity  of  pyin  he 
rvuffcrcd,  in  rider  tlat  jl  e  i:toicnert  n^ight  be  made. 
And  if  he  sufieud  as  little,  <  i  less  j  i«in,  thiui  one  oi  the 
liur. an  family  i\(  i.ld  li^e  :i£'uc',  through  eternity,  if 
he  Irad  not  been  rcdecn  C(  ,  tl  en  1  e  lest  as  litde,  or  less 
ha]  piness,  than  c ne  w ill  goii.,  b}  be/n'g  redeemed.  But 
the  "multitude, "il.'at  \^  ill  be  vf  deen  eci,  "shall  be  so  great 
ihatno   man  can  11  umber  them."   Kev.  7,  9.  Therefore, 


f^O 


ill  i)roportion  as  t'ds  multl  ■  It  is  ;2;re:Har  lia:i  o.i:;,  or  a 
part  of  one,  sd  i\  ropartion,  x'tre  -vill  b3  nor^  happi- 
ness, and  less  pain,  than  woul  !■  'lave  baeri  i-i  the  ^OA^C'ii- 
ineiit,  if  he  had  not  siil'-er^  .  V-id  that  is  ths  adva^t•l^;  ; 
g-ained,  which  is  a  great  advantac^e,  and  a  i;^reat  beauty; 
and  the  less  he  suffered,  so  a:^  to  co-apletely  ans-.ver  the 
purpose  ofhissuSerin,:^',  so  'Jiac'.i  the  greater  is  the  advan- 
tege  gained,  and  so  much  the  greater  is  the  beauty  in 
t-he  government. 

N.  Did  the  merit,  or  value  of  his  suifering,  consist 
wholly  in  the  quantity  of  pain  he  suffered  ? 

A.  No;  the  merit,  or  value  of  his  suffering,  was  great 
in  proportion  to  the  quantity  of  pain,  added  to  the 
dignity  of  the  sufferer. 

N.  But  I  was  wishing  to  hear,  what  constituted  the 
;peal  merit  or  value  of  his  suffering. 

A.  well;  the  real  merit,  or  value  of  any  thing,  con- 
sists in  its  adaptation  oradaptedness  to  answer  the  pur- 
pose or  end  for  which  it  is  designed. 

•N.  Was  not,  then,  the  n:?rit,  or  Vidue,  orChrisi''s  suf- 
ierings,  which  constitute  the  ii2:i-Ccr  of  theato'ie'iirni;,  in- 
inite  ? 

,  A.  Yes;  For  thev  vrere  infmitelv  vrell  adapted  to  an- 
"werthe  purpose  or  e:id,  for  which  they  were  designed. 

N".  Although  you  tliinkthe  merit,  or  vahie,  of  Cln-ist's 
suffering,  is  infinite;  yet  would  it  not  lessen  t'^  '  es- 
sions,  and  lower  the  views  of  otners,  in  respect  ic  .__  mag- 
nitude of  the  atonenient,  and  the  great  love  of  God, 
wherewith  he  so  loved  the  v/orld,  that  he  sent  his  Son; 
an. i  also  of  the  Son  \^ho  suffered,  when  they  would  con- 
sider how  little  he  had  done  and  suffered? 

A.  Fnend  ^[.  '  No  one  shonJd  think  that  there  was 
but  httle  doiie  and  suitered,  in  order  that  ^.  i  ai^ni;  lent 
should  be  made,  when  there  was  none  but  n-n  ibuad  in 
the  uni\-erse,  that  could  have  done  it.     Yet  I  wisn  \'ou 


ICO 

to  m-iderstand,  that   false   views  and  false  impressioiis 
about  y.lO^',  a.-ia  the  atonement,  are  neither  honorable  t® 
G(k1  nor  proiitabie  to  nien  ;  and  the  sooner  we  can  have 
them  removed,  and  correct  ones  in  their  place,  the  bel- 
ter.    The  only  way  to  get  high  views  and  deep  impres- 
sions about  God  and  the  atonement,  is  to  get  correct 
ones.     And  there  can  be  no  views  and  feelings  more 
ialse,  low,  grovellino;,  and  dishonorable  to  God,  and  un- 
profitable to  men,  than  those  views  and  feelings  about 
theSonofQod  suffering  an  "infinite  quantity  of  pain; "^ 
or  that  he  suffered  "  as  much  pain  as  all  the  human  fami- 
ly would  have  suffered  through  eternity,  if  none  had  been 
redeemed;"  or,  that  "he  suffered  as  much  pain  as  all 
the  redeemed  would  haye  suffered,  through  eternity,  if 
they  had  not  been  redeemed."     And  that  if  more  had 
Ijeen  redeemed  than  will  be,  he  must  have  suffered  that 
much  more;  and  if  fewer  had  been  to  be  redeemed,  than 
will  be,  he  must  have  suffered  that  much  less.     And  all 
this  pain  to  be  laid  in  as  a  legal  set-off,  in  the  payment  of 
a  debt,  to  the  utmost  farthing,  by  which  law  and  justice 
tvere  perfectly  satisfied,  the  sinner  pardoned  graciously, 
and  released  freely.    And-,  through  this  gross  absurdity 
a)f  a  free  and  gracious  pardon,  or  forgiveness,   after  the 
slebt  v/as  fully  paid  to  the  last  farthing,  that  the  law  was 
well  honored,  by  this  exact  legal  punishment  of  the  in- 
nocent, in  the  place  of  the  guilty;  and,  by  the  same  trans- 
action, God  much  gloriiied,  and  the  sinner  saved,  to  his 
great  satisfaction  and  contentment.     Verily,  verily,  I  say 
imto  you,  friend  N.  nothing  can  be  more  false  and  foul 
than  this.      And  he  that  can  see  into  all  this,  and  be 
pleased  and  contented  with  it,  is  so  excessively  selfish, 
that  he  does  not  care  how  he  is  saved,  so  he  be  saved. 

Look  at  it,  friend  N. — For  if  the  merit  or  value  of  tlie 
sufferings  of  Christ,  be  great  in  proportion  to  the  quan- 
tity of  pain,  added  to  tlvi  dignity  ot  the  suir'erer;  and  all 
this  laid  m  as  a  legal  set-o*f,  for  the  payment  of  a  debt; 
an;  ®ne  mi^hc  see  th.ii,  there  was  to 3  iUuch  paid  ;   there 


J61 

\v^s  to:)  iviuch  ••  qui;l  pro  qii)."  For,  the  anaQiiHt  paid 
should  ht  only  ofeqail  val  le  vvith  the  things  froaiv/iiick 
the  slaaer  was  relsass  1.  )t:i£r.\-ise,  renenbei.-  ''there 
U'ould  be  no  reciprocitv.'^ 

N.  But,  on  your  own  plan,  if,  in  either  oF  those  tares 
ways  above,  the  quantity  of  pain  be  added  to  the  dignity- 
of  the  sufferer,  would  it  not  make  an  atonement  of  more 
merit  and  value,  than  the  one  you  approve,  w^here    a  less- 
quantity  of  pain  is  added  to  the  dignity  of  the  sufferer? 

A.  No;  fxr  it  won! i  not  make  an  atonement  at  all,  of 
any  merit  or  value  whatever.  Because  the  merit  or  value 
of  the  atonement  consists  in  its  adaptedness  to  answer 
the  purpose  or  end  for  which  it  was  designed.  But  such, 
an  atonement  as  either  of  those,  of  which  you  speak,  in-- 
troducing  as  much,  or  vastly  more  pain  into  the  govern- 
ment, than  would, have  been  there  without  it,  vv'ould  not 
be,  in  any  dep;ree,  adapted  to  ansvv^er  the  end  for  whick 
it  was  designed;  but,  rather,  it  would  be  direcdy  contra- 
ly  to  that  purpose  or  end.  Wherefore,  it  Vvould  be  of  no. 
merit  or  value  whatever;  but  it  w^ould  be  a  great  misfor- 
tune, drawback,  and  deformity  in  the  government. 

Forj  I  understand  that  the  person  who  suffered  was  oi:* 
infinite   dignity.      And  the  quantity  of  pain  he  suixereA, 
must  not  be  too  gi'eat,  nor  too  small;  but  itraust  be  v.dsely, 
accurately,  and  properly  proportioned,  so  that  it  shall  ex- 
actly answer  the  purpose  or  end  for  wdiich  it  was  design- 
ed.    And  if  it  be  infmitely  well  proportioned,  and  adapt- 
ed to  answer  the  end  for  which  it  was  designed,  then  it 
is  infinitely  great,  meritorious,  or  valuable.    For  its  value, 
consists  in  its  being  adapted  to  that  end.      And  the  end 
to  be  answered,  is  the  highest  display  of  the  Divine  cha- 
racter, and  the  highest  happiness  of  the    government. 
Now,  if  there  be  less  happiness  and  m.ore  pain  in  tlie  go- 
vernment, occasioned  by  making  the  atonement,  than, 
would  have   been  without  it,  theii,  such  an  atonement 
would  be  a  great  drawback,  and  misfortune  and  deformi- 
ty m  tiie  govern.nent;  and  v/ould,  in  the  sauie  propor- 


ir^2 

iion,  display  an  imperfection  in  the  Divine  cbardcter; 
;.nd,  consequently,  it  would  not  be  an  atonement  at  all, 
cfany  merit  or  value  v/hatever. 

N.  n' ell,  was  not  the  quantity  of  pain  he  really  did 
suiTer,  added  to  the  di.^nity  of  the  sufferer,  according  to 
your  own  plan,  an  equivalent  to  the  penalty  of  the  law,  in 
this  sense,  that  these  sufferings  of  Christ  should  be  real- 
ly as  rahiable  a  consideration  in  law,  as  all  the  sufferings 
of  all  tlic  redeemed  would  have  been  if  they  had  not 
been  redeemed  ?  And  might  not  the  lav/  have  accept- 
ed of  this  less  quantity  of  pain,  from  this  dignified  suf- 
ferer, as  an  equally  valuable  consideration;  and  m'lp-ht  not 
the  law,  being  thus  satisfied,  released  all  the  redeemed 
on  that  account? 

A.  Friend  N".  Would  not  that  equivalent,  or  equally 
valuable  consideration  in  law,  have  been  a  complete  legal 
set-off,  by  which  a  debt  would  be  fully  paid,  and  law  and 
justice  satisfied? 

N.  Yes — And  without  being  liable  to  the  objections 
you  made  in  the  three  former  cases.  For  there  v/ould 
not  be  too  much  paid;  and  the  loss  sustained  Vv'ould  not 
be  so  great  as  the  advantage  gained.  Wherefore,  that 
disgusting  deformity  in  the  government  would  have  been 
avoided,  and  a  great  beauty  would  have  been  displayed 
in  the  governriient.  Because  there  v/ould  have  been  far 
more  advantage  gained  in  the  government,  than  the  loss 
husiahied. 

A.  Althougli,  on  this  plan,  there  would  be  less  pain, 
nxd  more  liappiness  in  the  government,  than  on  either  of 
ihe  three  former  plans,  and,  therefore,  that  most  disgust- 
ing deformity  in  the  government  would  seem  to  be  avoid- 
ed. BiU,  in  fact  tliis  plan  only  avoids  the  drawback  in 
the  positive  p')ints  of  pain  and  happiness;  while  the 
f  reatcr  part  of  the  deformity  in  the  government  would 
not  be  avoided.  For,  even  this  plan  admits  that  an  inno- 
cent dignified  person  was  legally  pucished  in  the  place  of 
the  guilty;  and  that  this  punishment,  aUiiough  less  in 
quantity,  is  equivalent  or  equai  to  the  p;  jiaiLy  of  th.e  law; 


ihe  absurdity  of  which  is  involved  in  that  monstrous,  sup  ^ 
posed  law  fiction,  which  ought  to  be  forever  rejected. 

And,  we  said  the  suifermgs  of  Christ  were  of  infinite 
merit  or  vahie,  because  they  were  infinitely  well  adapted 
to  answer  the  purpose  or  end  for  which  they  were  de- 
signed, ^^nd,  if  they  be  considered  an  infinitely  valu- 
able consideration  in  law,  paid  for  the  redemption  of 
all  the  world,  there  would  be  too  much  paid.  For,  even 
the  whole  world  would  not  be  of  infinite  value  if  all  were 
redeemed. 

And,  again,  I  say,  that  the  sufferings  of  Christ  never 
were  designed  to  answer  the  purpose  or  end  of  paying  a 
legal  debt,  in  the  room  and  place  of  the  punishment  of 
the  sinner.  For,  if,  in  this  sense,  the  debt  had  been  paid, 
there  would  have  been  no  par  Ion  ^-ranted  to  the  sinner. 
And,  as  was  said  before,  the  law  vv^ould  have  released  the 
sinner,  not  from  the  punishment  only,  but  also  from  all 
©bligationof  tliankfulness,  except  barely  to  the  friend  who 
paid  the  debt  for  him. 

N.  If  your. surety,  or  friend,  should  pay  your  debt  for 
j^ou  according  to  law,  and  you  be  released,  and  the  friend 
should  never  require  you  to  pay  him;  might  it  not  be  said 
in  truth  that  your  frieod  had  firgiven  you  that  debt. 

A.  No;  itv/ouldnot.  N"one  could  possibly  forgive 
me  that  debt,  but  the  creditor,  to  whom  the  debt  .vv\as- 
coming.  Nevertheless,  the  frierid  would  treat  me  as 
kindly,  as  if  he  had  forgiven  that  debt.  But  I  must  be- 
eome  indebted  to  ray  friend  before  he  can  forgive  me  any 
thing.     But  this  would  be  a  nev/  debt. 

Besides,  the  very  notion  of  legally  paying  oF,  for  sins, 
or  crimes,  is  absurd,  and  would  be  an  evasion  of  law;  for 
it  is  inconsistent  with  sound  principles  of  law  and  gor- 
e-rnsnent.  Such  a  clause  of  law  authorizing  crimes  to  be 
paid  oiF,  wcTuld  benefi.t  the  sU'ong  and  rich  only,  by  en- 
abling them  to  trample  on  the  rights  of  the  weak  and 
poos-,  who  have  most  need  i)f  legal  protection. 

I  Wibh  n.)w  to  remark,  that  much  error  might  arise  and 
.spread  lo  ^  vast  degree,  ana  grow  to  a  fngniiui  sia^.ure. 


164 

froir.  cojisidering-  the  pardon  of  a  sinner,  as  a  real  civil 
commercial  transaction,  either  in  the  payment,  or  the  for- 
giveness of  a  debt.  An'f.  the  Bible  no  .vhere  authorizes 
us  to  consider  the  two  cases  as  one  and  the  sa  me  thing. 
It  is  true,  the  Bible  often  makes  a  coTiparison  between 
these  two  transactions,  and  explains  the  govern  nental 
treatiTient  of  a  sinner,  both  in  his  punish  iient  and  par - 
dor.,  by  comparinc^  it  with  the  civil  treatment  of  a  debtor^ 
ijoth  in  his  imprisonment  for  de]:)i,  and  his  forgiveness 
of  the  debt.     And  this  it  does  clearly  and  beautifully. 

But  the  Bible?. no  where  represents  the  debtor  as  being: 
forgiven,  after  his  debt  is  paid,  either  by  himself  or  by" 
his  surety.  Nor,  the  sinner,  as  being  par  loned,  after  he 
lias  suffered  the  penalty  of  the  law  himself,  or  after  his 
surety  has  suffered  the  penalty  of  the  la\y<j.  or  even  an 
equivalent  to  that  penalty,  in  the  sinner's  room  and' 
place. 

And,  in  fact,  it  Vv'oiildbe  contrary  to  the  nature,  and  spi- 
rit of  the  laws  against  criniinais,  in  any  well  regulated  ci- 
vil government,  either  to  require  or  accept  of  the  punish- 
ment of  ^ny  other  person  uhether  innocent  or  guilty,  iij' 
the  room  &.  place  of  the  punishment  ofthatprrson  who  is- 
proved  guilty,  and  condemned  to  suffer.  That  Very  per- 
son must  be  punished  or  pardoned  according  to  law,  oy 
othervv'ise  the  law  is  violated. 

N.  But  the  Divine  government  is  infinitely  higher  aniS 
more  perfect  than  any  other  government.  And  might  we 
not  expect  to  find  things  in  that  government,  which  we 
need  not  look  for  in  any  other  government? 

A.  Yes;  and  so  much  the  more  absolute  certainty 
there  is  that  we  shall  never  find  the  least  error  in  the 
lavvs  against  criminals,  in  that  government,  or  in  any  de- 
partment of  its  administration.  And,  consequently^ 
there  is  so  much  the  more  certainty,  that  there  is  none  of 
all  that  supposed  gross  error,  contradiction  and  absurdi- 
ty, in  the  law;  and  none  of  that  ignorance,  stupidity  and 
misfeasance,   in  any  department  of  its  administration;. 


i(>3 

tvhicli  would  cast  the  blackness  nf  darkness  over  the  face 
of  ihe  whole  ..;overfiment,  and  shroud  t'\'i  nnlverst  in 
ever!  istin^  moarnia^;  aid.vhioh  vj-ill  lot  be  born:;  in 
anv  well  rey-ulated  buirmn  Jipverninent,  '' no,  not  for 
an  hour."  That  government  "  which  ruleth  over  all," 
should  be,  a-  d  is,  a  pattern  of  propriety  for  all  others,  so 
far  rs  the  nsrv.re  o   the  case  v/i)i    ac  mit. 

N.  Then,  friend  ;\.  if  [  aaderst mJ  you  rio^hdy,  j'-ou 
say  that  the  Son  received  his  sufferings  from  the  han  I  of 
his  Father,  accordin.^  to  the  agreement  in  the  covenant 
©f  redemption.  And  that  his  sufferings  were  not  legal 
or  penal  sufferings;  and  that  they  were  not  inflicted  on 
him  by  the  Governor,  in  his  official  capacity,  as  main- 
taineroflaw.  And,  that  neither  these  sufferings  accord- 
ing to  your  own  plan,  nor  any  other  plan,  were  offered, 
©r  accepted  as  a  legal  set-off,  in  the  payment  of  a  debt. 
For  it  would  have  been  paying  too  much,  and  there 
Would  have  been  no  pardon  to  the  sinner.  And  that  it 
tvould  have  been  a  great  injury  to  him,  and  deformity  in 
the  government,  for  the  law  to  punish  him,  while  he  was 
acknov/iedged  innocent;  and  a  far  greater  injury  to  him, 
and  deformity  in  the  government,  for  the  law  to  suppose 
him  a  sinner,  and  guilty,  and  punish  him,  under  that  fic- 
titious character ;  for  it  w^ould  be  adding  reproach  to  the 
punishment.  And  that  this  injury  to  him,  and  deformi- 
ty in  the  government,  v/ould  be  great  in  proportion 
to  the  quantity  of  pain  and  reproach  added  to  the  dignity 
of  the  sufferer;  and  the  quantity  of  pain  and  reproach  in- 
creases, according  to  the  four  plans  stated  above,  if  yoa 
ferace  them  back,  until  it  amounts  to  infinite.  Which 
"Would  be  a  most  monstrous  injury  and  deformity  truly. 

Tlien,  would  it  n:>l  be  an  injury  to  C-irisd^nicy  i:o 
teach  or  preach  any  of  this  monstrous  jargon  to  oib.cr 
people? 

A.  Yes — It  is  well  calculated  to  starve  Christianity 
to  death,  and  to  feed  and  iattei  inii  leiit  > ,  a^id  .  l  -  n 
and  divide  ^j^rties  anel  denoaunadons  aim'^si  /miJ*?^'^ 


ciid,  aiK^  ejvableancl  enmirajre  ignorance  and  wickedness 
;;,lo  make  merchai'd'sc  of.wbatevcrthev  please  to  call  die 
gospel,  in  whatever  s]i"i->e,  form,  f^-shson,  or  at  wh: 'ever 
pnce  thev  can  fi:  d  a  rnrrbaser  wi;r5]"»sr  to  ^eceI.^■e  ?t. 

N.  Then,  as  jrn  \\  ill  nn'  af2-ree  that  the  sufferiiijr  of 
Christ  is  to  be  laid  in  as.  a  leg-a^  set  oftl  in  the  payment 
of  a  debt,  accordinsr  to  h\\\  in  any  shape,  form,  or  fash- 
ion, or  on  any  plan  that  can  br-  named;  T  vinsh  to  know 
how  you  would  handle  snch  a  text  as  this.  Yon  "  arc 
bone;ht  with  a  price;  therefore,  glonTy  God  in  your  body 
and  in  your  spirit,  which   are  God's." 

A.  Remember  that,  acconMng  to  af?recment  in  the 
covenant  of  redemption,  the  Son  came  into  the  v/orld^ 
and  rendered  obedience  to  the  law,  in  the  most  trying- 
suffering  circumstances,  which  sufferins^  he^^a,8:reed  to  re- 
fi'^ive  fi'om  the  hand  of  his  Father;  and  on  account  of  this 
obedience  and  suffering  which  is  the  price,  the  Father 
■agreed  to  give  the  Son  a  reward;  for,  "he  sha^l  see  of 
the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  be  satisfied."  But  this  is  a 
covenant  contiact,  reward,  and  price;  not  a  legal  set-off 
*in  the  payment  of  a  debt,  according  to  law. 

N.  Wab  not  this  covenant  price,  he  paid,  according  t® 
Ills  covenant  con. tract,  too  high  for  wh.at  he  obtained  by  it? 

A.  No;  for  he  o!)tained  so  ;-;iuch  that  he  will  be  for- 
ever perfectly  satisfied  with  his  contract. 

N.  What  did  he  obtain  more  than  the  redemption  of 
■all  that  will  be  redeemed? 

A.  He  obtained  the  honor  of  enduring  his  sulferings 
according  to  a  previous  contract  which  he  had  made  witli 
his  Father;  and  n.ot  from  the  Governor,  b}-  submitting 
to  receive  th'jse  sufferings  fi'O'n  him  ds  maiiuai.ier  of 
LiV\ ,  whicli  SLifferinirs  the  lav/  tlireatened  tc>  ii;e  auiltv; 
r.ccor;_:ing  to  w  hich  contract,  God,  as  legislator,  adopied 
those  sufferings,  as  a  legal  ;>;round  oi  pardon,  or  as  a  law 
of  the  eovernmeni,  aatiionziui'-  die  Gjvjraor  to  ^naat 
^.parcloji  to  uii  tiiat  wiii  repent  and  bfUeNC    the  Gospel. 


1ST 

And  these  suftevings,  beini^  adopted  as  the  lawfal  gTound 
of  nard^yn,  arc  ^]ie  atonement.  In  prov]din.j;  which  atcme- 
ment,  he  obtaired  the  honor  of  honouring  the  law  of 
works,  by  his  o'  ediencc,  and  the  Governf'r,  by  ivis  suf- 
ferings, as  was  shevvn  in  the  governmental  principles. 
And,  consequeutiy,  he  obtained  all  the  advantage  which 
the  universe  will  gain,  under  a  perfect  syste-n  ofla  v  and 
a  perfect  administralu.i;,  and  this  vrW  be  s:a':d  ■;  :  :'■:  )'>- 
jectof  his  covenant  contract,  ai:  '.  r      ;jfi)re,  be 

perfectly  satisfied. 

N.  What  is  the  difl^rence  between  honouring  the 
the  la^v,  and  satisry"  u:  i^? 

A.     The  law  "  v-id  by  s'-cwing:  it  to  be  good;  but 

it  is  stopped  from  nirdner  procedure,  by  being  satisfied, 
whetlier  it  be  good  or  bad. 

N.     Did  Christ  satisfy  the  'aw,  as  well  as  honor  it? 

A.     Yes;  in  the  ca^-e  of  evsi-j  on-  th^t  !)2Ucveth. 

N.     How  is  the  laNV  ;-^"     '"  "'  :n  t:::'  q.\  ■:  of  a  believer? 

A.  When  a  penitent  '  -  -.:,  jdr:^;-  d  pardoned  on 
accountof  the  atoi-.cnient,  accordin'r  to  die  law  of  uddi, 
the  end  of  government  is  as  ue!],  ^^r  ::--Lier  secured,  than 
it  would  have  been  by  tht  law  of  ■;  o;  i;^  ■♦unishinp;  him  as 
an  impenitent  sinner.  And  the  law  is  always  satisfied 
W'l  en  the  end  of  g:>vc;nment  is  Keli  secured;  and  a  per- 
fectly good  la vv  never  cari  be  satisfied,  even  by  pun'sh- 
ing  an  irnpenjtent  sinner,  short  of  secuing  die  ead  of 
gcvernn  ent.     For  when   it  is  satisfied  it  is  stopped. 

N.      Djd  he  sa;isiy  jusnce,   in   any  sense? 

A.  Yes,  in  every  sense  in  which  tlie  word  justice 
aught  to  be  used. 

N.     How  did  he  do  it? 

A.  Exact)}-  in  dne  si'me  way  he  satisfied  law;  for  law 
and  justice  always  go  together. 

N.     W  hat  is  justice? 

A,  Justice  consists  in  the  treatment  of  a  subject  ot'' 
government,  according  to  his  present  character,  \-c\.  view^ 
oftlie  law  lie  is  urrd  1. 

■N.-     ISow,  on  the  Quier  biut,  Ui^-na  x-i.,   It  tiie  right- 


eousness  of  Christ  had  been  so  made  over  to  the  pcii'i 
tent,  believing  siitner,  as  that  1  e  si  ciild  have  been  con- 
.udered  innocent  and  righteous  in  the  view  of  the  hiw, 
hov^'  would  law  and  justice  have  fref^ted  him? 

A.  On  that  supposition,  lav/  and  justice  would  have 
re\^arded  him  with  everlasting  life,  as  a  perfectly  ir.no- 
cent  person;  for  he  would  have  been  treated  according 
to  his  character  in  the  viev/  of  law. 

N.     Would  he  have  needed  any  pardon.^ 

A.  No;  neither  would  he  have  got  any  pardon.  It 
^vculd  be  a  strange  inccnsistercy,  indeed,  for  the  Gover- 
nor to  even  offer  pardon  to  one  whom  the  law  viev/ed  as 
innocent. 

N.  Then,  what  good  would  any  sort  cf  an  atonement 
do  him? 

A.     None  in  the  world,  as  it  respects  pardoning  him. 

N.  Then,  why  might  not  Christ's  righteousness 
have  been  so  m.ade  over  to  the  believer,  as  that  he  should 
ha\e  been  considered  innocent  and  righteous  in  the 
view  of  la\\;  seeing  he  n  iglit  have  dene  \^ithGut  pardon? 

A.  It  Moiild  have  been  impossible  to  make  it  over 
in  that  way.  For  it  implies  a  contradiction  in  the  nature 
of  the  case,  a  contradiction  in  the  iiature  of  truth,  and  a 
ccrtraciction  in  the  Ia\i ,  and  it  in  plies  all  that  defect  of 
wisdon.  and  propriety  that  Mas  shewn  in  the  case  cfthe 
believer's  sins  being  made  cvei  to  Christ.  In  fact,  it  is 
r.n(tl  ervain  iicticr  that  never  could  be  admitted  inlaw. 

It  involves  all  the  iibsmdities  that  were  shewn  to  e.xist 
in  the  foregcirig  \Z'U  fiction,  but  turns  them  over  from 
operating  against  Christ,  to  operate  in  favor  of  the  be- 
liever; and  leed  not  be  here  repeated.  But  I  \a  ill  as- 
sert diat  the  Bible  never.intin  ated  an)  such  a  ihing,  from 
first  to  last. 

N.  W  ell,  friend  A.  whether  you  call  it  imputa- 
tion, cr  a  trarsfer  of  (harscter,  or  cill  it  what  yr  u  vill; 
the  n('ticn  of  r>  dicing  cytj  Chri.'.t's  lighu  (  i;sness  to  rhe 
penitent,  believing  sinner,    in   such  a   way  as  that  he 


§69 

•-.houldbe  viewed,  and  considered  innocent,  and  righteous 
in  point  of  law  :  and  of  making  over  the  penitent  believ- 
er's sins  to  Christ,  in  such  a  way  as  that  he  should  be 
viewed,  and  considered  a  sinner  and  guilty  in  point  of 
law;  and  then  that  he  should  take  the  shiner's  law  place, 
and  suffer  the  penalty  of  the  law,  and  be- punished  and 
tortured,  as  a  guilty  sinner,  with  al!  thepaiii,  anguish,  and 
torment,  that  would  have  been  suSiered  throughout  eter- 
nity by  one,  if  he  had  not  been  redeemed;  or  by  ail  the 
redeemed,  if  they  had  not  been  redeemed;  or  by  all  tiie 
world,  if  none  had  been  redeemed;  or  even  to  an  inSnite 
quantity  of  pain;  and  either  of  these  quantities  of  pain, 
or  any  other  quantity,  laid  in  as  a  legal  set-off,  for  the 
payment  of  a  debt,  according  to  law,  by  which  hi'l  pay- 
ment, lavv^  and  justice  are  S:atis!ied,  and,  on  account  oi" 
Vv-hich,  the  sinner  is  pardoned  and  released.  I  -  ■-  t'^ct  no- 
tion or  plan  appears  to  me  to  be  the  mostfully  i  _  ^  .l  \,  ijh 
contradi-etion  and  absurdity,  of  any  thing  of  whicJi  I  have 
everheardon"  the-subject  of  ChristiaaiLy.  And  that  it  does 
give  a  blackening  aspect  to  the  whole  Divine  Gsovera- 
ment,  and  to  every  department  of  its  administration,  triilv. 

A.  Yes,  sir.  And  it  v-onkl  take  a  volume  or  two  to 
point  out  its  deleterious  influence,  in  ail  its  ramifications, 
and  the  patience  of  Job,  to  trace  out  such  a  disgnsiingdetail 

N.  •  But  are  there  not  several  kisids  of  justice,  that 
had  to  be  satisfied  by  the  suSerings  of  Christ;  such  as 
vindictive  justice,  retributive  justice,  distributix^e  justice, 
and  governmental  justice? 

A.  No,  sir.  I  told  you  before  that  the  suiTerings  of 
the  Son  took  place  according  to  liis  agreement  with  the 
Father,  in  the  covenant  of  redemption;  and  that  he  did 
not  suffer  the  penalty  of  the  law  at  all,  or  according  to 
any  law  or  legal  process  v/hatever.  And  nov7 1  wish  you 
to  remember  that  law  and  justice,  of  whatever  name  you 
please  to  call  it,  always  go  together.  Where  there  is  no 
lavy%  there  is  no  transgression,  justice,  nor  injustice. 
Wherever  law  goes,  justice  ^oes:  and  wherever  law  stops,  , 


170 
;iiotice  scopt;  aiid,  whatever  sailsHcs  and  stops  law,  satis- 
lies  and  strjps  jastice,  of  any  aiKi  eveiy  na-n2,  eMac-tl^  iii 
ll^e  satr.e  wa}',  ,and  to  the  same  extent,  and  in  the  same 
point,  that  it  satisfies  and  stops  the  law.  And  every  pos- 
sible notion,  about  justice  and  injustice,  contrary  to  this, 
■■,  a  mere  phantom  of  the  imagination;  and  is  of  kin  to 

e  vain  fictions  which  weiiave  been  considering.  There 
jiiino  cjsprsition  in  God,  like  that  disposition  in' men,, 
wliicii  is  expressed  by  sucli  words  as-vindictive  and  re- 
;::liL-Uve.  And,  vvdien  Paul  ^ays — "  Is  God  unrigliteoiis, 
M"]:0  tuketli  veng;eance?"  he  ados,  "  I  speak  as  a  man." — 
Romans,  3,  5.  V*''hic]i  intimates  that  there  is  no  such 
ihing^  in  God  as  that  which  men  call  vengeance.  Rut 
God,  as  Governor,  exercises  govcrnmenial  justice,  in 
t.listributJng  to  all  according  to  their  character,  whether 
it  be  good  or  bad.  And,  in  the  same  sense,  shall  the 
world  be  judged.  Wherefore,  when  a  sTiincr  is  con- 
demned and  punislied  according  to  tile  law  of  works, 
justice  is  done  to  him,  and  justice,  of  every  name  you 
rdcase,  is  satisfied;  and,  Vvdien  a  person  becomes  a  peni- 
tent believer,  law  and  justice  are  stopped  in  liis  casej 
"fcr,against  such,  there  isrolaw."  And,  Vv-hcn  a  penitent 
believing  siimer  is  pardoned  according  to  the  law  of 
faith,  mercy  and  grace  are  displayed  in  Ids  pardon;  and 
he  is  pardoned  consistently  with  the  end  of  government, 
^vherefore  law  and  justice  are  both  satisfied  and  stopped, 
ir  hi?  case;  and  law  and  justice  give  up  their  former  de- 
mand cl  punlsment,  in  his  case,  for  the  sake  of  the  great- 
er good  that  sliall  result  to  the  government  fiom  his  par- 
don and  enlari-en^ent;  and,  by  this  greater  gr)od  that  re- 
sults to  the  go%ernment,  law  and  justice  are  completely 
satisfied,  for  it  is  this  end  of  government  that  the  law 
was  designed  to  secure. 

Jv..  It  d(  es  appear  to  be  more  consistent  with  the 
prirriples  of  a  v  ise  and  good  government,  to  suppose 
law  Old  justice  v(  uld  be  even  far  better  satisfied,  whea 
they  give  up  or  fcxchrj,,ge  the  former  punishment  of  the 


17  J 

penitent  believing  sinner,  for  the  greater  good  resuiting 
to  the  government,  from  his  pardon  and  enlargement, 
than  they  would  have  beea  by  giving  up  or  eKchan.^iu;:; . 
that  sinner's  punishment,  for  tii:'  same  quantity,  or  any 
quantitv  of  punishment,  and  diatof  an  innocent  person. 

A.  Yes.  And,  if  you  will  carefullyreflect  that  a  re- 
newed sinner  could  not  be  punished  at  all,  nor  treated 
as  a  subject  or  citizen  in  the  government,  in  any  way 
whatever,  except  he  be  pardoned  and  enlarged;  you 
will  see  that  law  and  justice  would  have  been  stopped,  and 
would  have  lost  their  former  claim  on  sucli  an  one,  v.  ith- 
out  any  satisfaction,  had  not  the  atonement  been  made, 
as  the  proper  ground  of  his  pardon  and  enlargement. 
For,  if  he  be  renewed,  there  is  no  law  against  him;  and, 
if  there  u-ere  no  atonement,  there  v/ould  be  no  law  for 
him,  after  he  was  renewed.  But  the  atonement  being 
made,  as  the  lawful  ground  of  pardon,  and  the  sinner  be 
ing  renewed,  pardoned,  and  enlarged,  law  and  justice  are 
not  only  stopped  in  his  case,  but  are  also  satisfied  by  the 
greater  good  that  shall  result  to  the  government. 

N.  Is  justice  displayed  in  his  treatment  after  he  is 
pardoned? 

A.  Yes.  Mercy  and  grace  were  displayed  in  his 
pardon  and  enlargement;  grace  and  justice  in  his  subse- 
quent treatment.     Rom.  3,  24,  26. 

N.     What  is  pardon? 

A.  Pardon  is  a  governmental  remission,  or  forgive- 
ness, or  giving  up,or  letting  go,the.  punishment  threatened 
by  law  to  a  sinner,  on  account  of  sins  he  has  committed; 
and,  also,  the  restoration  of  the  criminal  to  the  rights, 
liberties,  and  privileges  of  a  subject  or  citizen,  M'hich 
i  s  his  enlarc-ement. 

N.      Wiiat  is  mercy? 

A.  Mercy  is  the  v.dthholdment  of  punishment  froip 
the  guilty  andiil-deserving,  consistently  w^ith  the  end  of 
government, 

N,     What  is  grace.' 


112 
A.     Cniicc  is  favor  ofi'ered  or  done  for  the  guilty,  an  J 
ill-deserving,  consistently  vvith  the  end  of  govermnent. 
N.     What  is  partiality? 

A.  Partiality  is  fiwor  offered  or  done  for  those  who 
do  not  deserve  it,  whether  they  be  good  or  bad,  incon- 
sistently with  the  end  of  government. 

N.     What  is  a  respecter  oi  persons?     Acts,  10,34. 

A.     A  respecter  of  persons,  is  one  who  withholds  a 

favor  from  those  who  do  not  deserve  it,   whether  they 

be  gocd  or  bad, inconsistently  Miih  the  end  of  government. 

N.     Why  is  the  punishment  of  an  impenitent  sinner 

called  an  act  of  iavv'  and  justice? 

A.  Because  it  takes  place  strictly  according  to  the 
law  of  works,  or  moral  law,  which  is  the  law  or  rule  of 
justice. 

N.  Why  is  the  renewed  penitent  sinner's  pardon 
called  an  act  of  mercy  and  grace? 

A.  Because  it  takes  place  strictly  according  to  the 
law  of  faith,  or  Gospel,  which  is  the  law  or  rule  of  mercy 
and  grace. 

N.  Could  such  a  renewed  penitent  sinner  be  punish- 
ed according  to  the  law  of  works,  if  there  were  no  law  of 
faith  authorizing  his  pardon? 

A.  .No.  Nor  even  now,  although  there  is  a  law  of  faith. 
N.     Would  there  be  any  act  or  display  of  mercy,  in 
that  kind  of  a  withholdment  of  punishment  from  him. 

N.  No.  That  would  noi.  be  properly  a  withhold- 
ment  of  punishment.  For  it  would  take  place  througli  a 
kind  of  necesbity, .  resuldng  from  there  being  no  law 
against  such.     Gal.   5,  23. 

N.  Hovv'  could  mercy  be  displayed  in  witliholding  from 
jiirn  a  punishaient  v/hich  could  not  bejnfacted  on  him? 
A.  Although  that  punishment  could  not  be  inflicted 
on  him,  yet  the  government  might  not  relinquish  it  or 
give  it  up.  But  pardon  is  a  governmental  act  of-.rel||ij- 
(]uisliment,  or  giving  up  that  punishment,  and  even  flie 
A''';ht  of  punishing  him,  v.diich  shews  as  .strong  a  disposi- 


I'm 

tioii  to  withhold  pimishrnent,  as  if  that  punishment  could 
have  been  inflicted  on  him,  which  is  a  merciful  disposi- 
tion; and,  through  this  disposition,  every  thing'  is  done 
for  him  that  could  have  been  done  for  him,  even  if  the 
punishment  could  have   been  inflicted. 

N.  You  have  said,  elsewhere,  that  a  renewed  sinner 
could  not  be  considered  and  treated  as  innocent  in  point 
of  law.  Let  me  now  ask,  Could  he  be  considered  guilty 
and  ill-deserving,  in  point  of  law,  alter  he  is  renewed? 

A.  No.  If  he  could  be  thus  viewed  in  law,  he  could, 
be  punished. 

N.  How,  then,  is  favor  shewn  to  the  guilty  and  ill-de-. 
serving,  in  his  case? 

A.  Then,  I  wish  you  to  remember, that,  before  he  was 
renewed,  he  was  a  sinner,  condemned  in  law  to  suffer 
punishment;  which  punishment  never  had  been  inflicted 
on  him,  nor  remitted,  or  given  up.  And,  as  a  sinner 
thus  condemned,  he  had  lost  all  his  rights,  liberties,  and 
privileges,  as  a  subject  or  citizen  in  the  government,  and 
v/as  dead  in  law;  for  his  loss  of  these  rights,  liberties^ 
and  privileges,  under  the  moral  law,  was  his  moral  death. 
But  when  he  was  renewed,  and  became  penitent,  he  v/as. 
a  different  kind  of  a  somel^ody  that  the  law  knev/  not,  or 
that  was  not  known  in  lav/.  He  had  no  life  in  law,  and, 
consequently,  he  had  no  rights,  liberties,  or  privileges^, 
under  law;  he  had  no  existence  in  law  whatever,  and, 
consequently,  he  could  not  be  treated  as  a  subject  or  citi^ 
sen  in  the  government,  in  any  thing  whatever.  Now, 
you  see  that  the  very  last  thing  die  law  knew  of  him,  is, 
that  he  was  a  sinner,  condemned  to  punishment,  and  that 
was  the  only  governmental  act  of  citizenship  that  could 
possibly  be  done  to  him,  or  for  him,  according  to  law. 
Now,  the  very  last  thing,  the  moral  law,  or  law  of  works, 
knew  of  him,  was.  that  h-  was  guilt/  and  lii-deserving, 
and  condemned  to  pLi.iian  u;;iL. 

Bui  the  Gospel,  or  law  of  faith,  is  a  law  of  the  govern- 
ment, which  authorizes  tiiQ   Governor?   v/hen  iie  tinds 

0^ 


on,  .w  :...^:.e  ciicunistaiices,  to  recofrnise  him  as  a  sub- 
feet  or  citizen,  in  the  government,  b)"  granting  him  u 
free,  fii]],  and  gracious  pardon.  Which  pardon  is  a  'c^ov- 
enriricntal  act,  of  giving  up  that  punishment  which  is 
merciful;  and,  also,  pardon  is  a  governmenLal  act  of  re- 
stor'.iij^  d.lf  the  rights,  liberties,  and  privileges,  of  a  sub- 
ject or  citizen.  And  this  is  restorin<T:  him  to  life,  moral 
life,  and  existence  in  moral  law.  But  this  is  doin^  a 
iijreat  favor  for  him,  tliat  v.-as  only  knov/n  in  lav/  as  spjiltv, 
ill-deserving,  and  condemned,  consistently  with  the  end 
of  government;  wherefore,  it  is  great  grace. 

N.  Then,  friend  A.,  is  he  not  an  entirely  nev/  man, 
in  law,  sure  enough?  for  he  lias  a  new  heart  as  well  as  a 
'  new.life  and  existence,  in  the  law  of  works,  and  can  be 
treated  as  a  subject  or  citizen  in  the  government,  and 
can  enjoy  all  tlie  rights,  liberties,  and  privileges,  of  a 
iliost  favore'd  citizen. 

A.  Yes;  and  all  this  on  account  of  Christ.  For,  his 
nev.'  heart  and  character  is  in  conseauence  of  the  obe- 

X 

dience  of  Christ.  (See  obedience.)  And  all  the  balance 
takes  place  in  consequence  and  on  the  account  of  his  suf- 
■  ferings,  or  the  atonement  of  Christ;  and,  in  this  way, 
the  sinner's  sins  were  imputed  to  Christ,  and  Christ's 
righteousness  was  imputed  to  every  believer,  as  was  for- 
merly said. 

N.     I'hen  it  will  be  easy  fo  see,  how  "  the  mercy  of 

the  Lord  is  from  everlasting  to  everlasting  upon  them  that 

fear  him  ;  and,  how  it  is  great  unto  the  heavens;  "and  how 

'  mercy  shall  be    built  up    forever,  "     and,  hovv^   great 

grace  is  displayed,  together  v.ith  his  pardoning  m^ercy. 

But  is  it  not  also  an  act  of  great  grace,  for  the 
Divine  Spirit  to  reneu'  the  heart  of  the  sinner? 

A.     Yes,  it  is. 

N.  Wliereas,  renev/ing  him,  so  rescues  him  from  the 
punislrment  of  the  law,  that  "  there  is  no  lav/  against 
hin).'*  Does  not  the  act  of  renewing  a  sinner,  seem  very 
iruch  like  snatchinc;:  a  brand  from  the  burning?" 


A,     Yes;  it  does  seem  so  to  ms. 

N.  And  is  not  pardoning  him,  which  restores  him 
to  the  most  favoured  citizenship,  as  well  as  acquits  hira 
from  the  punishment,  like  making  him  a  ro^'^al  diadem? 

A,     Yes. 

N.  Is  not  his  new  heart,  or  holiness  of  heart,  called 
s-pn^Jtual  lire; 

A.  Yes;  and,  therefore,  it  is  easy  to  see  the  diiT-^r- 
ence  between  spiritual  life  and  moral  life;  for  moral  life 
is  his  restoration  to  the  rights,  liberties,  and  priyileges 
of  a  subject  or  citizen,  under  the  moral  law. 

N.  And  after  he  is  renewed  and  restored  to  moral 
life,  is  his  subsequent  treatment  according  to  law  and 
jiistice? 

A.  Yes,  and  grace  too;  for  he  "  is  justiiied  fi-cely 
by  his  grace."  Although  his  subsequent  treatment  is 
according  to  law  and  justice,  yet,  this  is  a  favour  extended 
to  him  on  account  of  the  atonement,  or  law  of  faith. 
For  it  is  on  account  of  the  atonement  onlv,  that  God 
the  Governor  can  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  them  that 
belieye.  Or  in  other  words,  it  is  the  law  of  faith  that 
authorizes,  the  Divine  Governor  to  extend  citizenship 
and  legal  treatment  to  them  that  believe.  Therefore, 
although  his  subsequent  treatment  be  an  act  of  justice, 
yet  it  is  a  favour  done,  according  to  the  gospel,  for  him 
that  was  guilty  and  ill-deserving,  consistently  with  the 
end  ©f  government ;  therefore,  it  is  grace. 

N.  What  is  the  dilference  between  a  person's  being 
guilty,  and  ill-deserving,  and  his  not  deserving  a  favour? 

A.  A  person  miij-ht  liave  done  no  bad  thinjj,  for 
which  he  would  deserve  to  be  treated  ill;  and  he  might 
have  done  no  good  thing,  for  which  he  would  deserve 
to  be  treated  well ;  and  a  favour  is  some  good,  to  which 
a  person  has  no  legal  claim. 

N,  Then  if  partiality  consists  in  bestowing  a  favour 
^on  one,  wiio  does  not  deserve  it,  inconsisently  with  the 
'03l  of  government;  and  if  respect  of  persons;  consists 


176 

in  withholding  a  favour  froin  another,  who  doss  not  de- 
serve it,  inconsistently  with  the  end  of  government; 
what  is  it,  if  a  favour  be  done  for  one,  vrho  does  not 
deserve  it,  consistently  with  the  end  of  government? 

A.  It  is  a  pure  act  of  goodness.  See  Math ew,  20, 
9,  15. 

N.  But  are  not  all  the  acts  of  justice,  mercy,  and 
grace,  also  acts  of  goodness? 

A.  Yes,  but  they  take  their  specific  name,  according 
to  the  object  to  which,  rule  by  which,  or  manner  m 
which,  they  are  exercised. 

N.     Which  of  all  is  the  greatest  act  of  goodness? 

A.     The  one  called  grace. 

N.     Why  is  it  the  greatest  act  of  goodness? 

A.  Because  it  requires  more  goodness  to  do  a  favour 
for  the  guilty  and  ill-deserving,  than  for  any  other.^ 

N.  Which  of  all  the  acts  of  grace  is  the  greatest 
act  of  ffrace  and  p-oodness? 

o  o 

A.  That  act  of  the  Bivine  Spirit,  that  renews  the 
sinner's  heart,  except  sending  the  Son,  and  making 
the  atonement. 

N.     Why  is  that  the  greatest  act  of  grace.^ 

A.  Because  it  was  the  greatest  favour  that  could  be 
done  for  himj  and  that  at  the  very  time  when  he  was  the 
most  guilty  and  ill-deserving. 

N.  Why  was  he  more  guilty  and  ill- deserving  just  at 
that  time,  than  at  any  other  time? 

A.  Because,  having  been  convicted,  or  convinced  of 
sin  and  of  his  duty,  more  and  more,  until  that  time,  he 
knew  more  of  his  master's  will  at  that  time,  and  still  re- 
fused to  do  it. 

N.  But  did  not  the  sinner's  will  concur  with  the  Di- 
vine Spirit,  or  agree  to  be  renewed? 

A.  No.  The  Divine  Spirit's  operation  is  first,  and 
is  that  which  turns  the  sinner's  will,  or  brings  it  from  be- 
ing unwilling,  to  be  willing;  or  the  Divine  Spirit's  ope- 
ration brings  the  sinner's  will  to  all  the  concurrence  it 
eyerhad,  or  ever  will  have. 


177 

N.  But  v.'ouJcI  not  tins  shew  that  God  makes  a  dii- 
lerence  between  one  sinner  and  another  sinner? 

A.  Yes.  Who  eis:?  made  you  to  diiier?  1.  Corin- 
thians, 4,  7. 

N.     Is  there  no  way  to  evade  this? 

A.  Yes.  There  are  many  ways  to  evade  it,  but  none 
to  refute  it. 

N.     Is  it  not  either  partiality  or  respect  of  persons? 

A.  No.  I'hat  is  one  way  of  evading  the  truth.  Look 
back  at  the  definitions  of  partiality  and  respecter  of  per- 
sons. For,  tliat  act  of  the  Divine  Spirit  that  renews  a 
sinner,  and  makes  him  to  differ,  is  an  act  of  great  grace 
and  p;oodness.     Romans,  2,  4. 

You  might  as  well  ask,  or  say  that  there  was  partiality 
or  respect  of  persons,  ill  making  all  the  differences  that 
are  made,  between  all  the  diiferent  tribes  of  animals,  and 
men,  and  angels,  and  every  thing,  where  the  Almighty 
ha$  made  a  difference  between  any  one  thing  and  any 
Other  thing;.  AH  this  replying  against  God,  arises  froni 
a  wicked,  deceitful  heart,  whether  you  know  it  or  not. 

And  you  might  as  well  find  fault  with  your  Maker, 
for  any  other  thing  he  does,,  as  for  making  new  hearts, 
and  thus  making  a  difference  between  one  sinner  and 
another  sinner.  For,  if  he  did  not  do  this,  they  all 
would  remain  sinners,  and  die  sinners,  and  go  to  ruin; 
instead  of  a  great  multitude  being  saved,  such  as  no  man 
can  numbtT. 

Friend,  is  it  not  lawful  for  God  to  do  what  he  will  with 
his  own?  Is  thine  eye  evil  because  God  is  good?  Take 
that  thii:e  is,  and  go  thy  v/ay  :  and,  then,  if  thou 
wilt  take  care  to  understand,  and  vie.v  1 1-  .  .  v  of  the 
government  of  God,  stripped  of  all  vain  MCiOVo  and  in- 
^■entions  of  men,  and  see  wivdi  has  been  <.!.>. le  for  the  sal- 
vation of  sinners,  thou  wiJt  feel  s\ire  that  Gid.hata  done 
thee  no  wrong,  even  if  he  shall  ren^w  Vn  hearts,  and 
certainly  save  a  multitude  of  sinners,  even  so  i^reatamul- 
titijide  that  no  man  can  numoer  uiem, 


Its 

N.  Friend  A.,  jou  have  n-saile  it  piob3ble  to  raj  mind,  that 
the  Divif.e  Gcverncr  is  to  rule  the  utiiverse,  tliroucrh  ofcrnily,  ac- 
cording to  the  system  of  governixiental  principles  above  exf lained: 
anri  that  he  has  authority  to  pardon  just  as  many  as  c;;n  be  parcion- 
ed  consistently  with  the  high  end  of  government.  Will  you  now 
please  to  state  who  can  and  wlio  cannot  be  thus  pardoned?    -^ 

A.  Every  sinner  who  will  repent  and  believe  according  to  the 
law  of  faith;  for  ihen  such  have  come  back  to  be  good  ind  i  eacca- 
ble  citizens.  Eut  no  sinner  who  refuses  to  do  tlii3,can  be  jaidonedj 
because  that  would  be  countenancing  crime,  and  turnit'g  loose  the 
bad,  to  the  terror  of  tlie  good. 

N.  Is  it  not  desirable  that  we  have  satisfactory  evidence, 
■^'thata  great  multitude,  such  as  no  man  can  number,"  shall  be  par- 
43oned, according  to  this  law  of  ftith.*^ 

A.  Yes,  and  there  is  that  satisfactory  evidence  that  such  a 
grand  result  shall  be  brought  out  in  the  completest  mauuel 

N.    Please  tell  how  ? 

A.  You  remember  an  agreement  was  made  betwixt  the  Father 
Spd  SoDs  as  was  siiewu  before.  In  cjinssqucace  of  fulfilling  his  part  iu 
ibis  agreement,  the  Son  was  "  to  see  of  the  travail  of  his  sOuI  until 
he  was  satisfied."  Now,  ro  secure  tbis  reward  unto  the  Son  com- 
pletely, the  Holy  Spirit,  on  his  part,  agrees,  in  that  same  covenant^ 
Ihat  He  will  come,  and  He  agrees  further,  that  the  Father  and  Son 
shall  have  the  right  to  send  him,  •'  to  take  of  the  things  o*  Christ,  and 
shew  them  unto  men;"  also,  to  convince  the  world  of  sin,  of  right- 
eousness, and  of  judgment.  To  work  in  them  to  repent  and  era- 
brace  the  Saviour,  and  tokeep  tbcm  through  faith  untosalv.-ition.  Thus 
the  Son  is  made  sure  of  his  reward,  so  as  to  be  fully  satished  ;  and 
so  shall  be  the  benevolent  universe  completely  and  forever  satisfied. 

N.  Vvill  th.e  number,  thus  pardoned  and  saved,  exceed  the 
nmnber  that  shall  be  lost  ? 

A.  It  will  far  exceed  that  number;  for,  fjoin  whiit  t!ie  Son  has 
done  for  the  salvation  ot  men,  it  is  not  reasonable  to  suppose  that  he 
Will  be  completely  satislied,  uulei-s  hi?  reward  takes  lu  by  far  the 
groates'  part.  And  such  passages  as  ttiese,  •'  Straiglit  is  tlie  gate, 
and  few  there  be  that  find  it,"  (g)  are  ap[>iicable  to  that  period  of 
tlie  world  before  the  Millennium,  and,  j.erhaps,  to  that  Ltile  season 
after  it." 


is)    See  M.dh.  7,  13.     Luke,  13,  U. 


179 

N.     Does  the  Divine  Sp'iU  renew  certain  Ueai-ls  as   a  Sove 
reign?  or  (io( -^  ho  act  in  aci  o'licial  ca'pacit\  ? 

A.  Rvcuhcct  that  tlu-  iiivaie  Deing  dnes  not  act  in  any  oiiii-ial 
Capacity  whatever,  in  the  tortoatioii  of  acreatare,  or  ofhis  charactei' 
c-illier.  Nttr  has  iiovernnicnl  and  its  principles  any  thing  to  do  with 
{onnatiiiti  rtcharackM-j  but  merely  to  treat  an  agent  according;  to 
iiid  ci  aructer,  after  it  is  forai</d.  The  Divine  Being,  as  a  Sovereign 
Creator  and  Preserver,  is  iiidej  endent  of  all  office  and  of;  '  i^grce- 
nuMit.  [ie  fc-i-rns  vvhaicver  he  p!ea.scs  with  its  character,  anil,  in  this 
scnt-p,  the  iliing  foriViPd  has  no  ngiit  to  bay  unto  him  that  ioimed  it, 
'■'  \^  h)  last  thou  u-ade  nie  thus?" 

Bvit  vhe  Holy  h^pirit's  \vurk.  in  renev.-inr^  a  sinner's  heart,  is  dif- 
fcj-eiil  from  tliis;  inasi>iuth  as  it  hns  become  his  peculiar  basinoi'S, 
fior.i  special  agre-  ui-jut,  in  the  covenant  of  redemption.  In  i'l.n  c-o- 
ven.iht,  He  agreed  to  come,  and  to  do  that  speciai  work;  arid,  a!;-:o, 
agreed  tiiat  the  Fatiier  and  S'>n  should  have  the  right  to  send  !u!n. 

Seeing-,  then,  the  M(d_)  Sj)i!it  is  br.t  one  in  t!\e  Trinity,  and  but 
one  p.irty  in  the  Covenant,  aud,  by  agreement,  acting  under  tiie  di- 
lectiun  oi"  the  other  two  parties:-,  in  tlie  Covenant;  He  does  not  act 
as  a  Sovereign  in  his  special  work  of  renewing  and  sanctifying  tlie 
sinncr'h  hearr. 

N.  Vy'ell,  as  th.e  Spirit  did  not  act  as  a  Sovereign,  in  His  spe- 
cific work  of  making  new  hearty,  ttli  'iie,  did  (l;e  Son  act  as  a  So>'e- 
rcign,  in  his  speciiic  work  of  makii.';';  U;e  afons'tupo!? 

A.     No;  for  ihe  same  reaaom  given  in  the  other  case. 
N.     Did  he    act  as  a  Sovereign  in   any   other    work  he  pec- 
fbrnied? 

A.  Yes,  he  did.  For,  nithoui^-'Wiic  Father,  accordingto  agree- 
ment, in  the  Co-tenant  of  redi-mption,  claims  of  ri^jht  ai!  suprt'.me 
auihuriiy  in  heaven  and  on  eiirt!>;  yet,  we  understurid  rii>t  the  Fa- 
lh«-r  delegatet'i  to  the  Son  all  tb:>-t  supreme  authority,  that  ihe  Soq 
nii^ht  go  ou  to  create  and  to  do  wliai^oever  he  would,  (ill  l^e  s^'v.ul 
brins,  about  and  completi-  the  iv/wle  plan  nf  redemp'ion.  And  when 
he  shall  have  finished  this  gvi^al  wr,rk,  then  is  he  to  "deliver  up  'bat 
supi  pnie  authority  (h)  tu  G  )d,  even  the  Father,  and  to  lay  down  aU 
rule  atid  ail  authrM-ivy  and  i;;iW(:r. 

Now.  whichever  person  acts  under  this  authority,  of  couise  acts 
as  a  Sovereign  in  whatever  he  d<jes,  purely  under  tha^  authoiiiy. 
An<i,  as  we  do  not  Ie9rn,  from  Scripruie,  that  this  supreme  au'!)ori-y 
Was  ever  <lelei^ateil  to  die  'I-dy  Spirit,  sn,  of  course,  in  the  sense  the 
Son  has  not  acied,  the  Spirit  has  not  acted  as  a  Sovereign. 


SeaMath.  28^  18,     1st  Cor.  15,  2,4v 


IS9 

N.  But  who  is  Sovereign  in  the  Godhead,  independently  of  all 
covenant  or  agreement? 

A.  God,  alone,  existing  as  Father,  Son.  and  Holy  Ghost.  So 
that  neither  person  or  subsistence  is  abstract!  v  cuiisideied  the  Sove- 
rei":n. 

N.  Does  the  Father  obtaio  this  supreme  authority  just  men- 
tioned, by  delegation? 

A.  Noj  but,  by  agreement  in  the  Covemnt  of  redemption. 
So,  then.  He  might  delegate  it  to  the  Son;  or,  il  it  had  br  en  'hoiight 
necessary  and  proper,  to  the  Holy  Spirit. 

N.  Is  there  any  evidence  that  the  Father  has  ever  yet  acted 
as  Sovereign,  under  this  auihoiity? 

A.  I  know  of  nonej  but,  if  he  did,  it  wns  prrvinr.sl  v  to  !.i^  de- 
legating it  to  the  Son.  But.  after  all  lulcund  .uLhorit;,  -hail  have 
been  delivered  up  to  the  Father,  he  will  go  on  to  exercise  it,  so  far 
as  we  have  evidence,  forever. 

N.  1  understand  you,  then,  as  holding,  that  the  Son,  by  re- 
ceiving this  supreme  authority  from  the  Faiiier,  and  exercising  it 
down  till  after  the  jiidgment,  does,  in  aceitain  sense,  take  the  place 
of  the  Father,  till  that  auihority  is  delivere<'  up  to  the  Father. 

A.  Yes;  and,  according  to  this,  it  will  be  easy  to  understand 
such  passages  as  these — »'  Unto  us  a  cliild  is  born,  unto  us  a  Son  is 
f'iven,  and  Van  ^overninentshall  be  upon  his  shoulder,  andlus  name 
shall  be  called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the  .\jighty  God,  the  Ever- 
lasting; Father,  the  Princeof  Peaie.''(i)  '•  rise  Most  High,  whose 
kinuiJuui  is  an  everla>ting  kingdom.  Tlie  blessed  and  only  Poten- 
tate, the  Kiiigof  Kingf<,  and  Lord  of  Lords." 

N.  V\  ell,  as  the  Son  acts  uuder  all  authority  in  heaven  and  in 
earth,  may  he  not  be  considered  as  sustaining  all  the  oifices  that 
are  deesned  lower  than  absolute  sovprciguiy? 

A.  Yes.  Hem.jv  net  as  Legislator,  or  Judge,  or  Governor,and 
he  may  make  any  appoiofihenis  he  j>le;tses  which  aie  necessary  for 
the  .'iclministratiot)  ot  rii(.«  uhoU-  gi»vernu;eiit;  and  he  does  this  espe- 
cially in  all  'hirigs  relati'-t  to  the  (:ios[.ei  Kingdom. 

N.      Pi^'use  st^te  sumc  pariii  uhirs. 

A.  "  It  is  hppoin'ed  unto  all  men  once  to  die:  but,  after  this, 
the  j'HipmeiK."     (j) 

N.     Do  ti.esc  rrdfitf  exr'usivoly  to  tl-e  Gospel  Kingdom? 

A.     Most  certainly.      For.  you  remember  the  *♦  law  of  faith"i3 


(  i )  Sfc  Is.ia'i,  9,  6.     IVaniel,  7,  27.    Timothy,  6,  15. 
(j)  See  Hebrews,  9,  27. 


that  part  of  the  great  system,  tiCi  on  foot  fur  the   use  of  criiuiiiiils. 
proven  guilty,  aad  condemiud  to  die  by  the  law  of  works." 

*'  In  the  day  thou  e^iest,  ihou  shalt  surely  die."  ••lie  that  believ> 
cth  not,  is  condemned  already,      (k) 

Here  you  perceive,  under  this  law  of  works,  there  is  no  need, 
no  chance  even,  for  any  future  court  to  sit  for  judgment. 

N.  Why,  then,  was  it  necessary  to  appoint  tiie  day  of  judg- 
ment, or  a  general  court? 

A.  Because,  that,  according  to  the  law  of  faith,  pardon  was 
proposed  to  every  penitent  believer^  and  such  a  court  was  proper, 
for  the  public  examination  and  expose  of  character,  so  that  all  might 
see  \vhether  that  was,  or  was  not^  the  proper  cliaracter  to  which  par- 
don was  proposed. 

N.  Isee  the  propriety  of  appointing  a  general  judgment;  but 
why  did  th.e  Son  appoint  temporal  death.^  was  not  that  threatened  by 
the  law  of  works? 

A.     No.     The  law  of  works  did  not  threaten  temporal  death 
N.      Well,  did  it  not  threaten  spiritual  death? 
A.     No.     That  is  the  very  crime  fur  which  he  is  punls!iedj-"fary 
to  be  carnally-minded,  is  spiritual  death." 

N.,    Was  it  merely  eternal  death  the  law  threatened? 
A.     V^esj  that  merely. 

N.  In  what  sense  did  Adam  die  on  the  day  in  which  he 
sinned? 

A.  Keep  it  in  mind  tliat  we  are  examining  this  point  according 
to  the  principles  of  law.  As  in  civil  law,  vvheu  a  criminal  has  been 
proven  guilty  of  a  capital  offence,  and  the  Judge  lias  pronounced  the 
sentence  of  law  against  him,  '•  that  he  shall  die."  At  that  instant 
he  loses  all  his  privileges  as  a  citizen  under  law;  and  this  loss  of 
privileges,  under  the  civil  law,  is  called  civil  death.  And  the  law 
takes  no  farther  careot  him  than  to  see  that  he  be  executed  .Thus,yoii 
see  the  difference  between  what  is  called  civil  death, and  an  execution. 
Just  so  the  criminal,  under  the  moral  law.  Soon  as  the  sentence  is 
pronounced  against  him  that  he  shall  die,  at  that  insta<it  he  loses  all 
the  privileges  of  a  citizen  under  the  mora!  law;  and  this  loss  of  pri- 
vilege may  be  caiXed  moral  deaths  and  the  moral  law  takes  no  farther 
care  of  him  than  to  see  to  it  that  he  be  executed.  Now, you  see  the 
difference  between  the  sinner's  dying  in  law,  or  moral  dtath,  and 
his  being  executed,  whic  i  is  eternal  punishment.  It  is  plain,  there- 
fore, that,  on  the  day  Adam  sinned,  he  died  in  law,  which  was  his 


(k)  See  Genesis,  2,  17.  John,  3,  18. 


182 

iiiural  iJeaih.  Aiul  lie  woultl  have  been  instantly  executed,  hail  not 
ilie  Son,  ass  a  Saviour  and  Mediatdr,  in  his  whole  Gospel  Sclieme, 
cxjiue  in,  between  Adam's  djinginlavv,  and  his  beingexecuted.  This 
was  really  "coming  in  due  time."  For,  if  the  law  of  faith  had  been 
introduced  before  Adam's  dying  in  law,  or  moral  death,  it  would 
have  been  too  soon  to  be  needed.  And,  had  it  come  after  he  was 
executed,  it  would  have  been  quite  too  late  to  answer  any  purpose. 

N.     This  truly  was  coming  in  a.  time  of  need. 

A.  Yes.  For  lie  instantly  i^uspended  the  execution  of  the  cri- 
iiiinal.  which  was  <iranting  a  reprieve,  not  a  pardon.  And  this  re- 
piievc  continues  till  the  general  court,  Mhich  he  appointed  under 
the  Gospel. 

lie  appointed  also  to  man  a  new  state  of  probation,  under  the 
Gospel,  which  is  to  continue  during  his  temporal  life.  Rematk,  He 
did  not  appoint  to  man  his  temporal  life,  under  the  Gospel,  for  that 
had  not  been  taken  away  under  the  law.  But  he  appointed  a  new 
state  of  probation  under  tlie  Gospel,  which  is  during  temporal  life. 
He  appointed,  also,  an  end  to  that  probation,  which  was  tcmp(>ral 
death.  lie  also  appointed  a  general  resurrection  of  the  dead,  in 
time  to  come  to  the  judgment,  or  the  genera!  courtof  th.e  universe. 

N.  1  now  see  a  force  in  the  literal  declaration — "  dying  thou 
shah  die.    (1) 

For,  in  dying  a  spiritual  death,  wliith  was  sinning,  Adam  was 
to  die  an  eternal  death,  vhich  was  to  suffer  the  penalty  of  the  law.  I 
see,  also,  how  lie  died  in  law,  on  the  day  he  sinned,  according  to  the 
threatening,  which  was  dying  a  ■moral death',  although  he  did  not  die 
a  lenipural  dcnth  until  9S0  years  afier.  And  I  see  how  be  may 
have  been  rescued  altogether  from  eternal  death,  the  penalty  of  the 
moral  law.  For,  even  he  had  the  same  chance  to  repent  and  con- 
vert as  every  ol!»er  man,  and  so  to  find  pardon.  Now.  will  it  nor  fol- 
low, if  Adam,  or  any  other  man  be  pardoned,  on  account  of  the 
atonement,  which  is  the  foundation  principle  of  the  law  of  taith,  that 
he.  or  any  other,  should  also  be  restored  (call  his  privileges  as  a  citi- 
zen, consistently  with  the  law  of  works? 

A.  Yes,  For,  although  the  law  of  works  does  not  restore  him, 
yet.  be  being  restortd  by  the  law  of  faith,  he  row  has  all  the  privi- 
leges that  the  luw  of  works  cai'  giart,  aid  this  re&toraficii  to  the 
privileges  of  moral  law,  is  his  moral  lije.  ju&t  as  the  loss  of  ibem  had 
been  his  moral  chat/i.  So.  'hen,  as  the  proposiiion  "In(!yit;g,  thou 
i^halt  die"  was  true,  its  converse  is  equally  so,"  in  living  thou  shalt 
lixr." 


(1 )  See  Genesis,  2,  Of,     Hebrew- 


183 

Because  repentance  is  the  beginning  of  his  spirituaHife,  jus'. 

as  sinning  in  the  ibnner  case,wa3thebe;5inniiiQ;<jf  his  spirituiil  death. 

And  his  restoration  to  the-  privileges  of  the   moral   law,  is  as  truly 

his  moral  life,  as  his  former  loss  of  those    privileges,   was  his  moral 

death. . 

K  Now,  after  temporal  death,  docs  the  Saint  receive  his 
full  reward,  aaJ  the  sinner  his  full  punislinient  before  the  general 

court? 

A.  No;  for,  although  the  one  is  happy  even  here  and  hereaf- 
ter, even  before  that  court,  and  the  other  miserable.  Still  the  hap- 
piness of  the  one,  before  court,  is  but  the  foretaste  of  what  the  re- 
ward siiall  be.  And  all  the  miseries  of  the  other,  before  court, 
are  no  part  of  his  future  punishment,  which  constitute  the  penalty 
of  law,  but  they  too  may  be  called  the  foretaste  of  what  his  punish- 
ment shall  be.  For  it  would  be  inconsistent  with  all  correct  prin- 
(aplesof  government,  to  call  up  an  individual,  and  go  on  to  trial, 
and  then  reward  or  punish,  before  courtj  and  after  that,  when  court 
sits,  to  call  him  up  for  a  second  trial. 

N.  What  is  the  i-eward  a  Christian  ihall  recelv©  whgn  thit^ 
final  court  shall  sit. 

A.  The  Judge  will  award  to  him  all  that  unmingled.  happi- 
ness which  the  law  proposes  to  perfectly  holy  beings. 

N.  What  shall  be  the  punishment  of  those  who  are  pronounc; 
ed  unbelievers  at  this  cdurt.^ 

A.  They  shall  have  to  suffer  all  that  the  law  has  threatened 
fo  a  transgressor,  which  is  eternal  punishment,  and  this,  accord- 
ing to  a  sentence  long  since  pronounced:  For  "He  that  believeth  notj 
is  condemned  already."  So  that  this  court  has  nothing  to  do  with 
investigating  character,  in  order  to  find  out  who  is  guilty  and  who  is 
not;  for  this  was  doiie  at  a  for*nar  period  , where  all  were  pronounced 
"guilty"  (m)  But  at  this  court  the  investigation  is  to  ascertain 
who  have,  and  who  have  not,  become  believers.  Now,  he  who  has 
not  become  a  believer,  his  reprieve  being  out,  will  be  executed,  ac- 
cording to  the  ancient  sentence  of  law;  and  he  who  is  found  the  be- 
liever, is  to  be  pardoned  by  t!ie  Governor,  and  admitted  into  all  the 
happiness  which  the  law  proposes  to  perfectly  innocent  holy 
beings. 

N.  I  see  how  the  Christian  shall  be  admitted  into  all  the  hap- 
piness which  the  law  proposes  to  the  perfectly  innocent.     But  still 


(jin  ')     See  Romans,  3,  17 


tiiay  tiiere  iiL;l  be   a  ((on  ji.  whether  the  law  proposes  the  ahsoiuidif 
jiighest  happiness  of  wliich  their  natures  are  susceptible? 

A.  Tlicre  need  be  110  doubt  on  this  point.  "  In  thy  prescrxe 
Hiere  is  fullnegs  of  joy."  "That  they  might  be  filled  with  all  the 
fullness  of  God."  "Ask,  and  ye  shall  receive,  thatyourjoy  may  be 
full."     "Thou  hastmadehim  most  blessed  forever."  (n) 

Suchand  the  likeGospel  promises, to  the  penitent  believer,  are  no 
more  than  what  the  law  proposes  to  the  Hinocent.  Now,  if  they  be 
lilled,  they  cannot  hold  any  more  of  course:  tliat  is,  they  haVeai 
iriiich  as  tiieir  natures  are  capable  of  enjoying. 

N.   This,  you  said,  tlie  law  pr(»poses  to  the  innocent  beings,  antJ.-- 
is  to  be  awarded  to  the  ch  istian  by  the  Judge.     Now,   if  the  Judge" 
prorounre  no  higher  reward  to  the  Christian,  than  the  law  proposes- 
to   the  innocent,  how   can  it  he  said  "Tl-.ereis  more  joy  in  heaven,-, 
over   one    sinner  that    repenteth,    than  over  ninety-and-nine  just-11 
persons,     which  need  no  repentance."  (o) 

A.     This  is  quite  consistent.      The  law  proposes  to  the  mnQ- 
{  cnt,  the   I'.ighest  happiness  of  which  they  are   susceptible;  and  no  1 
l-.igher  reward  could  be  proposed  to  the  Christian.     But  their  capa- 
ciiies  will    be  vastly  enlarged  through  the  Gospel  plan.   Under  the' 
lav.'  purely,  their  capacities  would  be  great  just  in  proportion  as  the 
Divine  character  W!)Uld  be  developed,  merely  under  law.  But,  under' 
law  and  Gospel  both,  the  Divine  character  uill  be  displayed   to  far. 
fuller  view;  and,  in  that  proportion,  will  their  capacities  be  greater. 
And  just  as  their  capacity  is  enlarged,  so  shall  be  their  happiness,  or 
their  reward  far  higher  and   greater.     Now,  though  the  law   nevec 
proposes  to  enlarge  capacity,  but  merely  to  keep  it  filled  with  hap- 
piness, as  a  reward,  its  proposal  is  the  same  that  the  Judge  awards 
to  the  Christian,  namely,  the  very  highest  happiness  of  which   he  is 
susceptible.     But,  in  proportion  as  all  created  capacities  are  enlarg- 
ed throngli  this  plan  of  redemption,  established  for  the  use  and  ad- 
vantage of  the  guilty,  it  is  easy  to  se?  the  literal  fact  "  that  there  is 
more  joy  in  heaven  over  one  sinner"  that  repents  and  comes  to  hea-'; 
ven  throiigii  this  j-.laa   cf  tcdemption,  than  could   have    been   expe- 
rienced ovci'^niatty-nine  juit  persoiis,"'  suchas  Adam  and  his  poste- 
rity u'ouki  have    been,  had  tliey  kept   the  law  uf  works  perfectly^ 
and,  on  that  ground,  had  entered  into  life  eternal. 

N.     Docs  not  the  san\e  reasoning  prove  the  increased  j  punisli 
ment  of  tlie  wicked? 


£^ 


fnj  _Psalir.s.  15,  11  and  21.  6.     Joh.';16,  3t.     Kph.  .1,  10. 
Co  J     Ssc  Luke.  15.  7. 


185 

A.  Ye».  But  the  increase  of  punishment  in  the  wicked  wiH 
not  be  so  great,  proportionably,  as  the  increase  of  the  happiness  ot 
the  rigliteous. 

N.  Please  tell  how  this  increase  of  capacity  and  happiness  on 
the  one  hand,  and  this  increase  of  capacity  and  misery  on  the  other, 
shall  be  brought  out,  seeing  the  Divine  Being  does  not,  in  any  of  his 
offices,  form  or  alter  character;  and  I  suppose,  also,  does  not  alter 
nor  increase  capacity;  and,  seeing  the  law,  too,  o  nly  premises  to  fill 
the  capacity  which  it  finds  at  hand? 

A.  This  is  true;  and,  although  the  Son,  when  he  has  finislied 
his  work,  and  judged  the  world,  will  deliver  up  that  Supreme  au- 
thority to  God,  even  the  Father;  and,  although  he  will  lay  down  all 
rule  and  authority,  as  an  officer  in  the  General  Government,  yet  he 
will  continue  to  hold  the  offices  of  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King,  to  his 
Church  forever. 

N.     But  is  this  certain? 

A.  Just  so  certain  as  these  passages  of  Holy  Writ  are  true  ; 
''  A  Prophet  shall  the  Lord  your  God  raise  up  unto  you.  This  Pro- 
phet is  the  light  of  the  Gentiles  and  the  Glory  of  [srael,  and  de 
clared  to  be  the  Lord  their  everlasting  light;  and,  in  that  place 
where  the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb  is  erected,  they  shall  see 
his  face  and  his  name  shall  be  in  their  foreheads,  and  there  shall  be 
no  night  there,  for  the  glory  of  the  Limb  is  the  light  thereof."  (  p  ^ 
Of  His  Priesthood  and  its  duration,  we  are  assured  "That  the  Lord 
8 ware  and  will  not  repent,  thou  art  a  Priest  forever;  and  the  law 
raaketh  men  high  priests,  but  the  word  of  the  oath  which  was  since 
the  law,  maketh  the  Son,  who  is  consecrated  for  evermore;  so,  then^, 
he  is  able  to  save  unto  the  uttermost;  seeing  he  ever  liveth  to  make 
intercession,"  (q)  And  that  //e  shall  continue,  to  the  Church,  a 
King,  is  equally  clear.  "Tell  ye  the  daughter  of  Zion,  behold  thy 
King  cometh.  He  shall  reign  over  the  house  of  Jacob  forever,  and 
f>f  the  increase  of  his  government  and  peace,  there  shall  be  no  end.  (r^ 

N.  Granting  that  Christ  will  continue  Prophet,  Priest,  and 
King,  in  his  Church,  will  you  proceed  to  the  solution  of  the  forme"^ 
question  about  the  increase  of  capacity  and  its  consequences? 

A.  Well,  the  Son's  employment  will  be  to  unfold,  in  a  direct 
way.  (forever  as  a  Prophet,)  to  the  Church,  the  mysteries  that  have 
been  hid  in  God  from  eternity,  in  order  to  her  everlasting  growth  in 


CvJ     Acts,  7,  37.     Luke:  2,  32.     Isaiah,  60,  20.     Rev.  21,  25. 
CqJ     Hebrews,  7,  21,  28. 

(r)     See  Matthew,  21,  5.    Luke,  1.  33.    Isaiah.  9,  7, 
P2 


I8S 

t!ie.  kiiow'edge  of  t'ne  truih,  and  "  to  ihe  intent  that  now  unto  the 
pilricipalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places  might  be  known  (bv 
llie  Cliurch)  (he  manifold  wis(hjiii  of  God."  (s)  Now,  tliis  increase 
iij  the  IcnouloJ^e  of  tlie  truth,  is  tlie  real  increase  of  capacity. 

IJnt,  as  the  righteous,  who  desire  to  know  the  truth,  will  in- 
crease in  capacity  much  faster  than  the  wicked,  who  have  no  such 
desire,  the  increase  of  enjoyment  on  the  one  hand  will  be  much 
greater  tmm  the  increase  of  misery  on  the  other.  So  that  the  mise- 
ry in  hell  will  be  forever  increasing,  yet  that  increase  will  be  so 
slow,  compared  with  the  rapid  increase  of  happiness  in  heaven,  that 
the  comparative  amount  of  misery,  in  the  whole  universe,  will  hz 
diminishing;  and  tlie  comparative  amount  of  happiness  will  be  ever 
incre;\sing  ;  because  the  quantity  of  happiness  and  of  misery,  on 
both  tides,  will  be  in  due  proportion  to  the  capacity  of  their  respect- 
ive recipients. 

N.  Well,  really,  there  is  a  grandeur  and  sublimity  in  this 
whole  system  of  the  Divine  governmental  principles  that  is  intensely 
pleasing. 


©D^^^/iiiBgiiu^ii©:^  .a^o 


A.  T  propose,  in  this  Conversation,  to  turn  Inquirer.  Can 
you  answer  me  this: — Suppose  that  Adam  had  suffered  the  penalty 
of  law,  and  survived,  then  how  would  the  law  have  treated  him  af- 
terwards? 

N.     Just  as  if  he  never  had  sinned. 

A.  Why  might  not  he,  then,  have  been  required  to  make  an 
atonement,  by  sufteringthe  penalty? 

N.  Because  he  could  not  sutler  the  penalty  of  the  law  and 
urvive,  for  that  penalty  was  eternal  death. 

A.  True  enough;  but  suppose  one  to  have  committed  the  un- 
ardonable  sin,  which  shall  not  be  forgiven  in  this,  nor  the  world  to 
eome,  might  he  not  come  out  from  punishment,  **  if  he  pays  the  ut- 
most farthing?" 

N.  Yes.  For  this  supposes  that  he  suffers  the  whole  penalty 
of  the  law.  and  survives. 

A.     Well,  on  this  supposition,  can  he  ever  need  forgiveness? 

N.  No.  It  would  be  a  shame  to  talk  of  forgiving,  after  he  had 
paid  oft' the  last  farthing  of  his  debt. 


(s)    Ephesiansj  3,   10, 


187  ' 

A.  Now  tell  me  when,  according  to  law,  can  the  last  t'arthitig- 
be  paid? 

N.  I  answer,  never.  Because  tliis  is  a  case  supposed  <o  have 
come  befori!  the  Judi^e,  and  the  Judge's  decision  has  gone  agiinst 
him,  as  a  debtor.  The  Judge  delivers  him  to  the  oiFicer,  who  is  the 
law-maintalncr  or  Governor^  and  the  Governor  casts  bim  into  prison 
with  this  sentence  on  him:  "Verily  he  shall  not  come  out  thence 
till  he  hath  paid  the  uitermost  farthing."  This  sentence  shews  that 
the  Governor  will  not  pardon  hnn  in  this  world  nor  in  the  world  to 
come.  Bat  it  is  also  understood,  if  he  pajs  the  last  farthing,  he 
shall  come  out  according  to  law. 

It  is  important  to  know  when  he  may  pay  this  last  farthing,  for 
it  is  the  only  door  of  his  escape.  But  i  keep  it  in  mind,  he  entered 
prison  a  debtor,  unable  to  pay,  and  his  continuance  there  makes  no- 
thing towards  paying  his  debt;  besides,  liis  prison  expenses  are  in- 
creasing, so  that  the  longer  he  stays  in  prison,  the  greater  is  his  debtj 
hence,  the  longer  he  stays  the  farther  he  is  from  paying  that  last 
farthing;  therefore,  he  will  never  pay,  and  of  course  shall  never  get 
out  of  prison. 

A.  This  is  true,  according  to  law,  in  the  case  of  pecuniary 
contracts,  but  apply  this  to  the  moral  law,  in  the  case  of  a  sinner. 

N.  Cheerfully  I  will.  The  sinner  goes  into  the  prison  of  the 
universe,  because  he  is  an  impenitent  sinner,  of  course  not  to  be 
pardoned  or  forgiven,  while  he  continues  such.  Now,  if  there  be 
propriety  in  sending  him  there,  the  same  will  exist  in  keeping  him 
there,  so  long  as  he  continues  the  impenitent  sinner.  But  seeing, 
in  this  world,  the  older  he  grew  as  a  sinner,  the  worse  he  became; 
just  so,  in  the  eternal  prison,  the  older,  the  greater  sinner.  And,  if 
he  deserved  punishment  for  crimes,  committed  in  this  world, he  will 
be  deserving  of  punishment  for  the  crimes  he  commits  in  that  world. 
Therefore,  the  longer  he  stays  there,  the  more  punishment  he  de- 
serves, because  he  is  an  ever-growing  sinner;  and,  upon  legal  prin- 
ciples, I  cannot  see  how  he  ever  shall  come  out.  And  this  is  plainly 
asserted  by  one  whose  declaration  is  a  host  of  arguments.  "  Agree 
with  thine  adversary  quickly  while  thou  art  in  the  way  with  him, 
lest  at  any  time  the  adversary  deliver  thee  to  the  Judge, and  the  Judge 
deliver  thee  to  the  officer,  and  thou  be  cast  into  prison,  verily  I  say 
unto  thee,  thou  shalt  by  no  means  come  out  thence,  till  thou  hast 
paid  the  uttermost  farthing."     ( t  ) 

A.  Now  tell  me,  according  to  the  governmental  principles  al- 
ready explained,  who  is  the  adversary  in  that  cited  passage? 

(t)     See  Matthew,  5,  25, 


-J  $8 

N.    God  liimseU,  exisHngin  three  persons  or  subsistence^. 

A.     In  what  sense  is  He  the  adversary? 

N.  Because  there  is  a  great  moral  law-suit  depending  between 
him  and  the  sinner,  in  which  he  is  the  complaining  party,  or  plaintift' 
in  the  suit. 

A.     Why  might  not  Satan  be  called  the  adversary? 

N.  Because,  in  the  first  place,  Satan  has  never  as  yet  com-. 
plained  of  the  sinner's  conduct;  and,  in  the  next  place,  it  would  be 
a  piece  of  rather  adventurous  and  unwholesome  advice,  to  tell  the 
sinner,  Agree  v^ith  the  Devil  quickly  or  even  slowly. 

A.     And  what  is  the  '*way"  above  mentioned? 

N.  The  whole  state  of  probation  the  sinner  has,  during  tem- 
poral life. 

A.      And  who  is  the  "Judge?" 

N.  Christ  himself;  for  he  says,  '' the  Father  judgeth  no  mar^, 
but  hath  committed  ail  judgment  unto  the  Sun." 

A.     And  who  is  the  "nfilcer?" 

N.  This  must  be  the  Father.  For  the  officer  that  holds  the 
keys  of  the  Kingdom,  and  of  course  the  keys  of  the  Prison,  is  the 
Governor.  Because  the  Governor,  and  not  any  under  officer,  can 
shut,  and  none  can  open;  or  open,  and  none  can  shut,  the  prison. 

A.  Why  not  say  the  Son  is  the  Officer,  or  Governor,  to  whoui 
the  Judge  delivers  up  the  criminal  ?  seeing  he  has  all  authority  till 
he  finish  his  work  in  his  Mediatorial  Kingdom? 

N.  It  would  not  be  correct  to  say  this;  because  to  judge 
the  world  in  righteousness,  is  the  last  work  the  Son  performs 
in  his  Mediatorial  Kingdom,  until  he  delivers  up  all  that  supreme 
autliority  to  the  Fatlier;  so,  that,  during  the  whole  period  of  the 
Son's  exercising  his  governmental  authority,  he  never  executed  any 
of  the  human  family.  And  because  a  reprieve  is  granted  to  each 
one  till  judgment  is  over,  at  the  General  Court.  When  judgment 
is  over,  then  all  the  subjects,  together  with  all  rule  and  authority, 
shall  be  delivered  up  to  the  Father.  For  then  is  the  time  "when 
the  end  is  come,  when  he  shall  deliver  up  the  Kingdom  to  God  even 
the  Father,     (u) 

A.     But  why  may  not  Satan  be  called  the  Officer? 

N.  Because,  in  any  government,  human  or  Divine,  it  would  be 
very  unreasonable  and  immoral  to  hunt  the  kingdom  over,  and  the 
oldest    prison,  in  order  to  get  the  oldest,    wi)rst  crimiaal,  and   put 


(u)      1st  CorintiiianSi,  1-5,  24.' 


189^ 

him  into  the  Governor's  cliair.  If  such  a  finished  culprit  were  en- 
trusted with  t!)e  keys  of  the  king<!oin  and  of  tlve  prison,  it  might  be 
joyful  tidings  in  every  department  oi  villainy. 

A.  True  enough.  Now,  only  keep  full  in  view  these  princi- 
ples, and  they  will  save  your  theological  bark  from  many  a  hard 
knock,  against  these  "•  snags,  and  sawyers,  and  breakers,"  of  our 
Western  waters. 


N.  I  should  like,  friend  A.,  to  have  some  conversation  with 
you,  this  evening,  on  Repentance,  Conversion,  and  Faith.  These,. 
you  know,  are  important  items  in  obtaining  pardon  from  the  Divine 
Kuler,  and  in  gaining  an  admission  into  the  joys  of  eternal  salvation. 

A.  Much  has  been  excellently  said  and  written  on  these  im- 
portant subjects,  so  that  our  conversation  on  them  had  better  be 
short. 

N.  As  you  please.  And  what  is,  in  your  view,  the  precise 
meaning  of  repentance? 

A.  It  is  a  sinner's  honest  sorrow  for  having  sinned  against  Gods 

N.  Is  this  all  that,  you  allow,  goes  in  a  definition  of  repent- 
■ance.^ 

A.  Yes,  all  entirely.  For  I  hold  that  every  thing  ought  to  be 
lopped  off  from  true  repentance  that  does  not  strictly  belong  to  it. 

N.  lagree  to  that  heartily.  For  I  have  known  good  and  ex- 
cellent truths  blended  with  repentance,  so  as  to  obscure,  if  not 
drown,  the  idea.  Now,  upon  waat  principle  will  you  disentangle 
atul  develope  this  important  subject.^ 

A.  Repentance  has  this  striking  peculiarity,  that  no  perfectly 
holy  being  ever  can  have  it.  Keep  this  in  sight.  Thejretore,  no  re- 
ligious quality,  or  exercise,  of  any  perfectly  holy  being  enters  into 
the  idea  of  repentance.  For  repentance  is  a  something  that  a  sinner 
can  have,  and  none  but  a  sinner.  And  whatever  sinner  does  really 
and  truly  have  it,  he  must  certainly  be  better  than  he  was  before 
having  it.  Therefore,  any  quality  or  exercise  a  sinner  has,  that 
leaves  him  as  bad  as  before  having  it,  cannot  be  repentance. 

N.  Will  you  please  tell  of  a  few  things  the  sinner  may  have, 
and  still  remain  the  impenitent  sinner? 

A.  He  may  feel  very  much  convinced  or  convicted  that  he  is  a 
sinner.  In  consequence  of  this  he  may  have  many  fears  about 
death,  judgment,  and  hell:  and  yet  be  just  as  impenitent  as  ever.  He 


niay  dream  dreams,  see  pleaging  or  frigiilful  forms,  lie;u  sweet  v\ 
doleful  voices,  or havecheeiing or  terrific  sciipfures biougl-.t  U>  mind: 
but  all  these  do  not  in  the  least  enter-  into  the  idea  of"  npentancf. 
So,  in  regard  to  every  otiier  thing  the  sinner  can  iiavo.  am!  sii'.i 
leave  him  the  sinner,  they  niak.^'  no  p^irt  of  ripenlatice.  I-  is  tiue.  a 
Christian  may  have  all  these,  aiso,  but  neilher  do  tlicy  make  asiv 
part  of  his  Christian  character. 

N.  But,is  not  love  to  righteousness  and  hatred  to  sin,iepLnit.)ncer 

A.  Noj  for  these  the  Siivinur  had.  Yet  he  never  did  any  thing 
f.o  repent  of.  Plainly,  no  one  but  a  sinner  can  feel  honestly  sorry 
for  having  sinned  against  God;  and,  if  one  honestly  feels  so,  he  must 
uecessarily  be    better  than  before  he  felt  the  honest  sorrow. 

N.  Why  might  not  sincere  sorrow  for  sin  constitute  rep^ntancer 

A.  1  am  glad  of  that  question,  for  I  fear  too  many  take  mere 
sincere  sorrow  to  be  repentance,  and  by  it  are  deceived.  But  there 
is  a  vast  difference  between  a  sincere  sorrow  and  an  honest  sorrow 
for  having  sinned.  Every  one  that  feels  an  honest  sorrow  for  sin. 
will,  of  course,  have  a  sincere  sorrow;  but  any  one  may  have  the 
sincere  sorrow  for  having  sinned,  and  yet  not  one  particle  of  honest 
sorrow. 

The  A  pestle  Paul  says,  "Godly  sorrow  worketh  repentance 
unto  salvation,  not  to  be  repented  of."  [v]  This  Godly  sorrow  is 
that  honest  sorrow  which  has  been  mentioned;  but  "the  sorrow  of 
the  world,  that  worketh  death,"  is  the  sincere  sorrow  just  named. 
For  example,  the  man  who  has  stolen  a  horse,  and  about  to  have  the 
sentence  of  law  executed  upon  him,  he  will  be  sincerely  sorry  for 
having  done  that  particular  crime  ;  he  may  be  exceeding  sorrowful, 
and  yet  have  no  honesty  in  it.  Now  such  a  sorrow  is  merely  what 
•we  call  rueingit,  for  he  may  be  so  far  from  being  honest,  that,  if  op- 
portunity were  aflforded,  he  would  steal  another  and  make  off,  to  es- 
cape punishment. 

Not  so,  if  that  man  were  honestly  sorry.  In  that  case,  he  would 
rather  suiter  the  punishment  than  repeat  the  crime;  if  not,  then  hon- 
esty is  no  more  honesty. 

Now,  he  that  goes  no  further  than  merely  into  a  sincere  sor- 
row for  having  binned,  has  no  deiermioatioii  to  give  up  his  sins  at 
present,  except  those  by  wiiiih  he  feels  particularly  endangered; 
and  no  sooner  do  his  fears  about  these  even  subside,  than  he  will  go 
on  111  them  as  usual. 

But  whoever  has  that  honest  (and  of  course  sincere  sorrow)  for 
li^yiiig    iiitied  against  God,  is  willing  to  give  up  al!  his  sins,  because 


[v]     See  2d  Cor.  7,  10. 


191 

tins  very  repentance  is  ihat  by  which  his  heartbreaks  oft"  ftota  hvs' 
Ans,  ••  it  is  that  from  which  commences  a  change  of  life  ;  it  is  the 
turnin;;  point  of  character."     'ih.^  is  ^'ceasing  to  do  evil." 

N.  I  see  noiv  that  if  we  should  feel  even  honestly  sorry  for 
Adam's  sin,  ur  ar.y  body's  else,  that  would  make  no  part  of  our  re- 
pentance. 

A.  Trucj  for  any  perf.^ctly  holy  being  may  feel  honestly  and 
•iincereiv  so,  t-,  that  A>i:  n»  sii  ne<i,  ir.  itself  c(  nsiiJered.ai.d  still 
V/ouU{  neitiicr  ha^  e  nor  nef.d  repearance;  for  this  plain  reason,  that 
repentance  is  that  honest  smvj'.v  for  having  sinned  against  God,  that 
itivariably  belongs  to  none  butasmaer,  and  as  invariably  breaks  off 
U-  o'.vn  heart  fro-ts  his  ou  a  sins,  wi'.hout  reference  to  the  sins  of 
albers  in  ^inj  degi  ee. 

Jv.     Yni;   ;    -  Ld'i.ed  a  J  ■■'?'-:"eaoe  in  nature,  between  honest 

and  sii!cc!-c  SO! ;  .  ^-ii  !•  there  irn  :i  ,!.&';!  ciice  between  an  honest; 
and  a  GsidiV  s;);  low? 

A.      No:  no  i!iiiere:r;>^ '-r  -x;!  io  li:eh- na*ure. 

N.  Ti;en,  hi>w  ex.^'u:;^  ■  ^  h  .lV-:\  n..;;  between  ""aGodly  sor- 
row, and  repentance  ur.to  saivation?"  [v/] 

A.  In  the  i-^lth  ve.se  oi  VidX  chaj.'ter,  it  appears  soaie  one  had 
•  done  vvTong  to  anotherj  on  v/i-ich  uccouru  the.  Af)ostle  had  written  a 
letter,  which  letter  produced  an  c->:.-;''!,2'ir;n  into  th.e  aftair^  this  re- 
sulted in  a  cou'pieie  clearing  ot  the  loetves.  But  these  people 
were  Christian  profes-sota  at  Cotsntii,  before;  the  Apostle  wrote 
tlvem,  and  when  the  wrooij  was  done  too;  aiid,  if  they  were  what 
they  professed  to  be,  they  had  experienced  real  repentance  before 
they  had  received  that  letter.  The  'jodi'--  sj:  sow  produced  by  the 
letter,  when  it  was  received,  was  not  dift'crpnt  in  its  nature  from 
their  sorrow  in  their  first  repentance;  but  it  was  a  ;-orrow  in  the 
view  of  a  different  object:  sorrow  in  view  of  the  vvrot)!f  Hot:e,  by  th.e. 
person  alluded  to  in  the  I. 2th  verse.  Which,  sorrow  excited  thern 
to  •*  clear  themselves,"  and  to  a  more  strict  atteTitiou  to  their  own 
persona!  conduct.  But,  thesatiie  letter  addressed  to  aci  impenitent, 
would  not  have  escifed  any  Godly  sonow  in  him,  \'»!iicii  would 
have  wrougiit  in  that  impenitent  "a  repentance  uoto  salvationj^' 
for  that  would  suppo.-.e  an  ioiptni'ent,  with  Gudiv  sorrow  in  him, 
even  before  he  hat"  any  Go  ily  S'-.rrow  in  him  ru  nil!  A  p;dpablp  ab- 
surdity. T!-.erefor'%  w^-h  priij-riety,  the  sorrow  .-xcitF-d  in  view  of 
another's  \\roug  doings,  may  b;^  called  "Godiy  smrow,"  bnt  not  re- 
j>entai;ce;  for  that  is  ever  in  v^ewof  ourot^'n  pMaonal  wro^o;  doiogs. 
And,  as  Christians,  we  may  feel   a  Godly  snrr'xv  ab^U'  another's 


{'  w-J    See  2d  Cor.  7,  10.  \ 


192 

sin;  and,  if  this  Godly  sorrow  sbal!  work  in  us  an  honest  sorrow  about 
our  own  misconduct  or  remisness,  as  it  did  then  in  Corinth,  both  these 
sorrows  have  one  and  the  sa?ae  nature,  though  it  is  the  sorrow  for 
eurown  sin,  that  constitutes  repentance. 

N.     But,  is  not  repentanee,  as  well  as  conversion,  a  right  Gos- 
pel exercise  of  heart? 
A.     Yes,  certainfj. 

N.      then,  can  there  be  any  right  Gosfel  exercises  of  heart  but 
those  wliich  are  ht>ly? 
A.     No;  not  any. 

N.  Well,  can  there  be  any  right  and  holy  Gospel  exercises  of 
heart,  but  tiiose  which  consist  in  iov^;? 

A.  It  is  true  that  the  whole,  law  is  faliilled  by  love.  But,  keep 
it  in  niind,  that  all  light  Gospel  exercises  of  heart  have  a  general, 
lUiitire  and  spedjic  difftrence,  lihe  all  other  things. 

Now  the  general  nature  of  all  right  Gospel  exercises  of  heart, 
is  love;  but  the  specific  cliSerence  is  tliat  by  which  one  right  Gos« 
pel  exercise  of  heart  may  be  denominated  repentance;  another,  con- 
version; another,  faith;  ajiother,  love,&c.  Now,  this  specific  ditt'er- 
ence  is  always  accordinj;  to  that  which  may  be  the  immediate  object 
of  the  heart.  Take  ac  example: — While  the  sinner  continues  to 
love  his  sins,  sin  is  th'^  immediate  object  of  his  heart,  he  loves  it, 
and  this  love  is  his  clinging  to  it;  therefore,  he  is  called  an  impe- 
oiteiit.^ 

B -t,  on  the  other  hand,  whenever  a  sinner's  heart  feels  honest- 
ly   I  rrv  for  having  sinned  against  God,  his  sins  are  as  immediately 
the  liojijctof  his  heart  as  in  the  l^jrmer  case;  and,  further,  they  are  as 
tmmediatelv  the  object  of  his  honest  sorrow  now,  as  they  were,  before 
tlie  object  of  his  iove.     And  the  difference  is  this;  whereas,  by  his 
former  love,  his  heart  clung  to  sin,  now   by  this  honest  sorrow,  his 
heart   is  broken  off   from  sin.     This  exercise  of  heart  that  breaks 
off  from  sin,  is  the   first  right  exercise  of  heart  he  ever  had,    and 
because  sin  is  its  immediate  object;  the  exercise  itself  is  specifically 
denominated  repentance,  although  the  general  nature  of  this,  as  well 
as  of  all  other  right  Gospel  ex^.icises  of  heart  is  love. 

N.  Which  is  the  next  ri§ht  Gospel  exercise  of  heart,  in  its 
proper  order,  after  this  breaking  off  one  froin  sin,  called  repe  nt' 
ance.'* 

A.     it  is  conversion. 

This  is  the  next  or  second  right  Gospel  exercise. 
N.     Will  you,  if  practicable,  show  in  what  does  conversion  spe- 
cifically differ  from  the  other  right  Gospel  exercises  «)j  heart? 

A.    Recollect  th.at  we  are  conimauded  not  only   "  to  cease  to 


193 

do  evil,"  which  hasjust  been  explained,  but  vvc  must  aiso  "ipaFn  {v 
4o  well,"  which  is  yet  to. be  explained.. 

Conversion  is  an  exercise  of  the  lieart,  just  between  ceasing  to 
do  evil  and  learning  to  do  well.  It  consists  purely  in  the  lieatt's 
turning  from  the  one  to  the  other.  I  say,  that  conveisiori  consists 
purely  in  the  heart's  turning  from  the  one  to  tise  other.  Aod  I  have 
called  conversion  an  exercise  of  the  lieart.  But,  in  aiis  case  ;)!  ccn- 
vertion,  1  use  the  word  exercise  in  the  same  sense  that  I  irsrati  v.  hi^u 
I  used  the  word  turning.  In  this  case,  I  do  not  irunin,  by  the  \\0:t] 
exercise,  a  particular  volition  or  nolition.  Ifldi'l.  i  v/ouiii  ti\  to 
specify  a  particular  object  of  the  volition  or  noliiion.  But  1  (i  j  not 
try  to  specify  a  volition  or  nulition,  nor  any  objt-ct  of  a  vulstion  or  ;>. 
nolition.  But  I  wish  to  represent  strictly  the  id<.;a  of  mere  nirning. 
the  iieart  turning.  And  \et  i  do  not  mean  that  the  lieart  turns  round 
in  the  same  sense  and  way  that  the  body  turjjs  rounds  although  the 
heart  does  as  really  turn,  in  its  own  way,  as  a  bodv  does,  in  its  own 
way.  But  it  is  difficult  to  find  words,  perhaps  inipcssible,  that  are 
so  appropriate  as  to  express  tke  precise  manner  of  the  he;«.rt  tursiing, 
without  being  liable  to  represent  too  much,  or  too  little,  or  nothing 
to  the  purposej  and  yet  we  are  obliged  to  use  such  words  as  v,'e  have, 
unless  we  would  coin  new  ones. 

The  word  exercise  has  been  used  to  express  so  many  different 
kinds  of  exercise,  and  su  many  different  exercises  of  the  same  kmd 
and  nature,  both  material  and  immaterial,  that  it  is  sometimes  al- 
most  impossible  for  any  one  to  know  exactly  and  certainly  what  is 
meant  by  it,  without  a  narticuiar  explanation.  In  this  case  of  con- 
version, I  use  it  to  Signify  the  heart  turning,  and  yet  I  do  not  mean 
that  the  heart  turns  in  tne  same  sense  that  a  body  turns,  Tho 
turning  of  a  body  is  locomotion,  but  the  turning  of  the  heart  is  not  : 
the  turning  of  the  heart  is  a  specins  of  turning  peculiar  to  the  heart. 
Perhaps  some  would  say  that  this  turning  consists  in  the  heari  lot- 
ting go  a  wrong  object,  and  being  placed  on  a  right  object.  And,  iu 
fact,  this  is  done;  but  this  expresses  more  than  I  wish  to  express 
by  the  word  execise,  or  turning,  I  wish  to  assert  somethina  ui  tlife 
heart  generally,  without  expressing  any  particular  volition  or  noli- 
tion, or  any  particular  object,  either  let  go  or  assumed, 

N.  But,  if  conveision  is  an  exercise  entirely  between  ceasino- 
to  do  evil,  and  learning  to  do  well,  how  ra.ll  it  a  right  Gospel  exer- 
cise.'' Seeing  there  can  be  no  real  good  done  toptiiers  betwf^ei.  the 
other  fwo  exercises;  that  is,  aff^r  d  ceasing  to  do  ^vil,  and  i)efore  a 
learning  to  do  well;  and  especiilly  as  you  say  it  is  nothing  but  tho 
mere  turning  fronf\  the  one  to  the  other? 

Q 


194 

A.  We  can  as  easily  see  how  conversion  is  a  right  Crospel  exer- 
cise, as  see  how  repau'.tnce  is;  for  repentance  does  as  little  real  g  od 
to  others  as  conversion  does.  Both  repentance  and  conversion  may 
do  no  real  good  farther  than  to  prepare  the  person  himself,  and  to 
place  hiiu  ui  an  attitude  to  do  good  to  others,  and  to  receive  good 
iiimself.  Now,  this  is  doing  bome  good,  besides  it  is  obedience  to 
the  coiiimaiid,  vvhicii  suys  'v  repent  and  convert."  And,  since  i  is 
obedience  to  the  command  o\  Heaven,  its  <.^eneral  nature,  to..,  is 
love,  love  to  liin^  that  commands  it.  And  seeing  it  consists  i  i  ''le 
turning^diiev  ih'.'  ceasing  to  do  evil,  unto  the  learning  to  dowell^  its 
speci'dc  denomination  is  convertsion. 

N.  Which  is  the  thud  right  Gospel  exercise  of  heart,  in  its 
order? 

A.     It  is  the  one  called  saving  faith. 
N.     Can  you  give  it  a  specific  detiuition? 
A.     rfiiving  fuithis  a  sinner's  belief  of  the  record  that  God  has 
"ive>i  of  his  Son,  in  the  love  of  it. 

N.  Is  this  all,  and  no  more  than  what  should  go  into  its  .!eli- 
nition? 

A.  Yes?  for  I  admit  that  a  definition,  vvith  too  much,  is  av;  in- 
correct as  one  with  100  little. 

N.  What  is  nii^ant  by  the  sinner's  believing  i!  i-  lecord  a'jout 
the  Son  ? 

A.  This  is  his  understanding's  assenting  to  it,  on  su'Ticient  .vi- 
dence  of  its  truth. 

According  to  St.  Paul,  "faith  cometh  hy  hearing,  and  hearing, 
by  the  word  of  God.     (w) 

N.     Bur  why,   m  your  definition,  add    "  in  the  love  of  it?" 
A.      Bee  luse  love    is   the   cunsent  of  tl.e   heart   (by    the   w  n-d 
heart,  the  will  is  ineanr)  to  tins  record,  acconiing  to  tlie  saaie  A!);)S- 

^;le "Foi   witii  the  "heart  man  believetl)    unto  nghreousness."     So 

that  a  full  '  efiiiition  takes  in  both  the  assent  ot   the  understanding 
a,nd  the  consent  of  the  heart. 

N.  U  hv  cull  'iiisassent  of  the  understandii.g  and  consent  of 
the  heart,  saving  fniihr 

A.  H  cau-e  the  osst  nt  of  the  ui  derstantling,  on  proper  evi- 
dence, is  fa.tii;  anil  this  love,  vr  const  nt  o!  the  heaii,  fornix  'ii  pro- 
per character  to  wldcl)  p-rdon  and  -al'v.iti  n  aic  proposed  by  theDi- 
vint  Governoi,  on  tlie  giound  oi  the  ai.inement. 


I 


(  w  )     See  Romans,  10,  17,  and  10. 


195 

Now,  take  away  the  assent  of  the  understanding,  and  the  hoait 
has  no  such  record  of  the  Soi),  which  it  can  lovt,  or  to  which  it  caa 
consent.  And,  take  aw;'. y  tiiis  love  or  coTisent  of  the  heart,  and  that 
bare  and  cold  assent  of  the  understanding  does  not  constitute  the 
proper  character  to  which  pardon  and  salvation  are  proposed  by  the 
Governor.  Therefore,  nothing  s'lort  of  the  assent  of  the  under- 
standing; and  consent  of  the  heart  of  the  sinner,  to  t!ie  record  that 
Go(i  has  given  of  the  Son,  can  come  up  to  the  full  definition  of  sav- 
ing faith. 

N.  Now,  is  this  particular  Gospel  exercise,  which  you  have 
specifically  denominated  saving  faith,  a  something  which  an  impe- 
nitent, unconverted  sinner  cannot  have,  and  a  something  which  a 
perfectly  holy  being  cannot  have  either  ? 

A.  Yes,  it  is  a  something  which  shall  forever  distinguish  a  pe- 
nitent, converted,  believing  sinner  from  the  impenitent.  And  it 
will  forever  distinguish  the  penitent,  converted,  believing  sinner, 
also,  from  all  perfectly  holy  beings,  who  have  everlasting  life  ac- 
cprding  to  law. 

N.  Well  has  not  this  believer  some  exercises  of  heart  in 
common  with  perfectly  holy  beings,  which  are  exercises  of  saving- 
faith;  for  example,  love  to  God,  to  Ctirist,  to  our  neighbors,  hatred  of 
sin,  &c.  ? 

A.  Yes  J  for,  "  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith,  is  sin."  Still,  not 
one  of  these  is  that  specific  exercise  of  heart  denominated  saving, 
faith;  and  which  distinguishes  a  real  believer  from  all  others.  For 
every  exercise  of  heait,  in  the  believer,  consistent  with  that  distin- 
guishing one,  may  be  said  to  be  o/' faith;  and  every  oae  inconsistent 
with  it,  is  sin. 

N.  What  is  that  particular  object,  in  the  record  that  God  has 
given  of  his  Son,  which  calls  for  this  important  and  distinguishing 
exercise  of  heart  called  saving  faith. 

A.  The  atonement,  which  is  the  ground,  and  the  only  ground, 
on  which  pardon  is  proposed.  There  are  many  things  in  that  re- 
cord, it  is  true,  but  none  save  the  atonevnent,  is  the  very  thing  itself. 

N.  Now,  wiiat  does  the  heart  do,  in  view  of  this  atonement, 
which  cannot  be  done  by  a  perfectly  hoiy  being;  nor  by' an  impeni- 
tent being,  while  he  remains  such,  but  can  be  done  only  by  a  peni- 
tent convert.^* 

A.  His  heart  agrees  or  consents  to  be  pardoned  and  saved, 
purely  and  solely  on  tne  ground  of  that  atonement,  as  it  ia  pro- 
posed by  the  Divine  Governor.  This  act  distinguishes  him 
from  the  perfectly  holy  being  who  needs  no  salvation  by  atone- 
ment.      And   it    as    clearly   distinguishes   him  from   tiio  im.neai- 


i96 


•tent  siruifi-,  who,  while  such,  1:3  ever  thinking  uinre  liigtily  oi 
hiiiis  if'ilian  he  uui^ui  tothia^j  jnerel^re,  wi;l  Mut  stoop  to  rect-ive 
parJixj  baieij  anij  purely  on  :iir;»tiier's  accOijn!:.  In  tins  sense  the 
atonemeiit  more  evi'ectualiy  tries  i.'ie  hiuner'.s  heart,  than  any  one 
thin^  that  could  have  ueen  proj.o.seJ.  Fur,  so  l>ri<j;  as  hi'^  heari  re- 
mains seltifeh  or  sinful,  he  will  not  agree  or  consent  to  be  pariloned 
purely  and  solelv  on  the  j^roiind  ot  this  atonement,  liis  hearty 
therefore,  at  that  moinent  espe-iall v,  roust  be  honest  or  holy, 
if  he  i5r;'e  >r  co-iSv^fir  ar  all.  Nja-,  t'le  absent  of  the  sinner's  uxi- 
derstaailinii;  to  the  particular  point  in  the  record;  and  the  consent  of 
his  heart  to  that  very  same  point  just  stated,  constitutes  that  pariica- 
lar  Gospel  exorcise  which  is  speciiic:i!ly  '.lenominated  saving  faith. 
And  its  general  nature,  like  all  other  rioht  exercises,  is  love. 

N'.  I  perceive  distinctly  your  idea  of  saving  faitii,  pruned  as, 
i't  is,  I  think,  with  advantage. 

Now,  tell  nie  wiiy  might  not  a  sinner,  just  as  well  be 
^aid  to  be  saved  through  repentance,  through  conversion,  or  through 
fove  to  God,  as  through  faith?  Is  it  because  saving  faith  is  a  mord 
holy  exercise  than  either  of  the  others? 

A-  No:  not  because  it  is  more  holy  than  the  rest,  but  because ii 
is,  and  shall  ever  be,  the  standing  acknowledg  ment,  that  the  sin- 
ner's pardon  and  salvation  were  purely  on  the  ground  of  that  very 
ittonement,  v/hich  had  estaOhshed  the  honor  of  the  Divine  Law,  and 
ihe  excellent  character  of  the  Divine  Gtvernorj  and,  thereby, 
had  become  lit  and  proper  to  be  constituted  the  firm  and  ample  gov- 
ernmental ground,  on  which  pardtni  and  salvation  could  be  extended 
to  the  sinner  by  the  Divine  Governor.  But  suppose  it  be  said  that 
a  sinrier  is  saved  through  repentance,  conversion,  or  love  either; 
these  would  leave  the  atonement  out  of  view,  and,  of  course,  the 
v.hole  system  of  Divin-e  Governmaital  principles. 

N.  What  would  you  call  the  fourth  right  Gospel  exercise  oF 
iieart,  in  its  order? 

A.      I^'ive. 

N.  But  is  net  love  the  general  natur:3  of  tiic  other  three,  re- 
peniance,  C!)riversion,  andfailh? 

A.  Yesjoutit,  too,  has  a  sjjeciiic  diftcriMice,  whicli  distinguishes 
;t  from  the  re-st,  and  donomiuates  it  lave;  for,  \  i>;i  remember  each 
right  Gospel  exercise  of  heart  takes  its  speciiic  name  according  to  its 
appropriate  object.  Now,  all  bein^,  capa:)te  of  feeling  plt^asure  or 
pain,  i^the  pi".)p..:r  object  of  t!iat  speoifio  exercise,  cul'eJ  tDe  love  ol 
henevolf  nee. 

And  ail  good  moral  characto-,  is  tlie  ni-oprr  object  of  that  sped- 
ii :  exe;\'.!!^e  .icn^^mi.iatod  the  love  oFcorapiacency. 


19 1 

N.  Why  raiijht  not  love  becalleil  the  first,  or  second,  ort'iiii! 
right  Gospel  exercise  of  heart,  just  as  well  as  the  fourth  in  order? 

A.  Remember  that  each  right  Gospel  exercise  we  have  consi- 
dered, takes  its  specific  name  from  its  appropriate  object;  as  re- 
pentance from  sin;  faith  from  the  atonement;  and  love  has,  as  its 
appropriate  object,  the  things  just  stated.  Now,  this  love  cannot, 
with  propriety,  be  ranked  fir^st  in  order,  because  it  is  niiturally  im- 
possible that  a  sinner's  heart  be  placed  on  being,  or  on  good  uidial 
character,  as  its  objeet,  until  it  be  first  broken  off'from  sin,  as  its  ob- 
ject.    Nor  can  it  be  before  conversion,  of  course. 

N.  Well,  may  not  love  certainly  exist  before  that  snecilic  ex- 
ercise denominated  faith  .^ 

A.  It  must  necessarily  exist,  at  that  very  point  of  ti^ile,  i;i 
which  that  exercise  called  saving  faith,  exists.  For  it  is  a  const' - 
tuent  part  of  saving  faith,  the  very  thing,  too,  wliicli  consti- 
tutes the  faith-saving. 

Further;  I  see  no  sufficient  reason  why  love  may  not  exist  be- 
fore that  particular  exLMcise,  as  well  as  after  it.  Yet  all  this  is  no 
reason  why  it  should  be  placed  in  the  order  before  saving  faiih, 

N.     Please  tell  why  it  should  not.? 

A.  Because  saving  faith  is  the  criterion  by  wliicli  all  G'  spel 
exercises  of  heart,  that  form  a  pardonable  chaiacter,  are  to  be  judg- 
ed and  decided*.  For  he  who  has  this  faith,  which  is  the  criferion, 
has,  of  course,  every  other  Christian  grace  in  some  degree;  bur  nei- 
ther the  exercise  called  love,  nor  any  other  christian  grace,  is  to  be 
the  criterion  bv  which  to  judge  and  decide  his  faith.  For,  faith  its.- 
self,  being  the  standard  of  christian  character,  needs  none  of  the 
other  graces  as  its  criterion.  No\v,  if  faith  be  the  criterion  of  ail  the. 
other  graces  that  belong  to  a  pardonable  ciiaracter,  it  ought  to  be 
placed  as  near  the  front  of  the  order,  as  truth  and  reason  will  admit. 

N.  True  enough;  then  why  not  put  saving  faith  the  very  first 
in  front  of  the  order  of  Gospel  exercises? 

A.  This  could  not  be  done  with  truth  nor  proprietv.  Because 
no  sinner  can  have  saving  faith,  till  h.is  heart  is  broken  ofl'froni  -^in,. 
by  repentance,  and  turned  round  by  conversion.  Therefore,  truth 
and  propriety  give  itthe  llnrd  place,  in  the  order  ot  right  Gospel  ex- 
ercises. And  the  Saviour  supports  'hem  in  doing  so,  as  is  verv  evi- 
dent from  his  answer  to  the  Ci'ief  Priesfs  and  Elders: — "  And  ye, 
when"-  hid  seen  it,  repented. not  afterward,  that  ve  mi^iht  believe 
him."     (x 


(  x)     See  Matthew,  21,  32. 


A.  \  (.u  iiuw;  aia'ied,  that  you  =ee  no  suflicicnt  reason  \vi»y  love 
i'.K^y  Slot  es.if.t  Dcfore  savin^^  faifa;  althongli  1  like  your  reason^  for 
not  piaciii-  it  iuliic  order  before  faitli.  Are  there  reasons,  then,  to 
believe  thaf  1.  ve  does,  at  any  time,  exist  before  saving  faiih? 

A.  Tiioreare  re.-!soa!^  to  induce  the  belief  that  this  specific  love 
Toay,  and  soinetiiiies  docs,  exist  before  hiitli,as  well  as  after  it.  For, 
as  eacii  specific  exercise  has  an  iij!proi)r<a.te  object,  the  penitent  con- 
vert i»ay  p'a'  e  h.is  hcarf,  i;i  the  true  exercise  of  love,  upon  God,  or 
Christ,  or  soini-.  other  proper  objects,  as  lovely  objects,  in  tiie  order  of 
time,  before  iu>  specifically  places  his  heart  upon  the  atonetneni,  in 
t!:e  exeuise  of  saving  faifh,  as  has  been  explained. 

And  no  doubt  this  is  often  done  by  penitent  converts,  who 
have  soAie  information,  and  this,  about  Ctirist  and  the  atuiieinent. 
Thismu*t  universaliy  be  the  case  with  all  such  penitent  converts  as 
have  no  infor'nation  about  Christ  and  the  atonement. 

N.  Bat  >!0  fi)u  think  there  arc  any  penitent  converts  who  have 
absolutely  no  such  information? 

A.     Yes;  no  doubt  imny  a^nong  infants,  and  the  heathen. 
N      Have  you  any  evidence,  tliat  all  infants  may  not  be  saved 
by  grace? 

A.  I  kuov/  of  »o  positive  proof,  in  the  Bible,  to  the  contrary  ;• 
nor  do  1  know  of  any  posiive  proof  thai  they  are  all  saved.  But  so 
much  has  been  said  a^  to  warrant  a  comfortable  hope  tri  their  case. 

N.      Is  there  not  stri-ng  presuoiptive  evidence  that  Sodom  con- 
tained tnore  than  teti  in  fan  s? 
A.      Y  -;th.'  re  is. 

N.     Well,  li   tiiere  had  been  ten  of  these  infants,  vighteou^ 
would  not  the  city  ha\e  been  spared? 
A.      Yis:  of  course  it  would. 

iS'.  'rhe:i,  does  it  notfullow  that  some  infants  were  lost? 
A.  No;  if  osily  follows  fnim  that,  that  the  city  Sodoin  was  not 
sparer..  Yet,  tiiat  event,  by  itself,  does  not  prove  that  any,  big  or 
little,  were  iesf.  Fcr,  even  after  the  fire  bej^an  to  piiur  upon  the 
caiy,  the  Divine  Spirit  could  have  gone  on  to  renew  as  tnaoy  hearts 
as  He  pleased,  eveii  of  the  great  or  small.  But,  if  an\  were  not 
renewed  belore  death,  they    were  lost,  whether  great  or  small. 

N.  Theie  is  a  better  'scape  door  than  appeared  at  first;  at 
^ea^tfor  the  little  Sodomites.  Now  for  ihe  heathen;  can  any  of  these 
l)  SAvd.  who  have  absoluiely  no  definite  information  about  Christ 
and  the  aioneuien^? 

A.  Yes:jusi  with  as  much  propriety  as  infants  in  Christen- 
dom. F  sueii  I-  til.  g'  reus  nature  of  the  Gospel,  tuat  it  is  adapt 
ed  10  the  deplorable  circumstances  even  of  a  blind  heathen  world,  a^ 


weU  as  to  Iheenlighteued  dnd  pcjiisii  ed  nations;  Reirieuiber  that  tiie 
G>spei  pidi),  01-  la-.v  oi  fait!),  is  tiiat  part  of  t'le  great  system  of  >ivine 
g-.vrtramental  pririciples,  expressly  established  for  the  use  and  nd- 
Vin!»y;e  of critn'mais.  Aiid,  upon  :hs  tinn  and  ample  tuuniation, 
i  -  hjiviiie  uovecnor  couiinur's  to  prnyiose  par.ioa  to  the  end  of  the 
tlic  e.irtii  ;  vviieiiicr  tney  have  oe.-.n  in  circumstances  to  hear  it  or 
not,  II'  ilui  st.'u>-.e  in  wiich  ""  fait;i  coineth  by  hearing,  and  hearing 
by  the  WOK!  oi  God."  Now,  ;f  tiie  doly  Spirit  vvsil  so  far  set  right 
a  iieathea'^  ■van,  .iful  wi>i;i  in  'din  to  love  the  truth,  so  far  as  he 
knous  iu  atiu  u>  d;»  uaf>>  others,  honestly,  as  he  would  have  others 
do  unto  him;  then  he  has  suo»<antiaily  that  very  ci^aracter  to  which 
the  Divine  Governor  has  proposed  pardon  and  salvation.  Now,  this 
moral  qualification  of  heart,  which  forms  the  pardonable  character^ 
prepares  that  very  heart  to  agree  and  consent  to  accept  of  pardon 
barely  and  purely  on  die  account  of  the  atonesnent,  just  as  it  is  offer- 
ed by  theUivin-  Governor,  soon  as  ever  he  hears  of  Christ  and  the 
atonement,  no  matter  whether  in  this,  or  in  that  world  which  is  to 
come. 

N.  How  does  this  agree  with  the  Apostle — ''there  is  none 
other  name  under  heaven  given  among  men  whereby  we  must  be 
saved?"     (y) 

A.  Perfectly  well;  be<aus&  that  name  is  given,  whether  they 
have  heard  it  or  not?  and  if  their  hearts  are  duly  prepared  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  they  will  consent  to  oepaid^ned,  in  the  above  describ- 
ed manner,  as  soon  as  they  hear  of  that  name;as  iri  the  case  of  Corne- 
lius, whose  heart  was  prepared  before  he  sent  for  Peter. 

N.  Although  it  is  possible  timt  the  heathen  may  be  saved, 
through  this  plan  or  ledemption,  without  hearing  of  trie  Saviour's 
name,  ni  this  world;  yet,  are  not  Christians  greatly  to  blame  tor  not 
sending  them  intorniaTion? 

A.  Ye«i;  for,  to  them,  the  Gospel  would  be  as  good  news,  and 
of  as  much  u-e  and  inijxiriance  as  it  is  to  Christians. 

N.  i  now  see  that  it  is  p>s-.iide  fir  ;i  heanien  to  be  saved, 
though  he  tnay  not  have  heard  .-.f  Const  and  tiie  At<memenf,  m  this 
world.  And,  if  he  can,  it  is  also  easy  to  see  how  love  can  exist, 
evL-n  befor(^  as  ifterthat  specific  exercise  called  savin*  faitii. 

\.  Ot  c  lurse  you  perceive  that  the  real  difference  betwixt  an 
enlightened  Ciuistian  and  a  redeetued  heathen,  lies  here;  the  one 
wai'^s,  by  faith,  tlirough  the  present  life;  rhe  other  gropes  in  dark- 
ness.    But,  m  the  fu'ure  w-n-ld,   their   circumsiancesare  the  same. 


Cy)     Acts,  4,  12;. 


20d 

For  the  Christian's  faith  shall  be  lost  in  vision;  and  the  penitenr, 
heathen's  (larkneri^,  ton,  shall  be  l.»st  in  visiu!'.:  ann  love  ^h*li  be 
their  common  bund  of  union,  :is  they  walk  togeth.er  from  glory  unto 
glory,  (hviing  the  mighty  roll  of  ages. 


(§^mTmm^u: 


N.  What  is  th.it  particuUr  feelins^  of  heart  cailc<l  suhmis- 
sion  ? 

A.  It  is  a  ft^eling  that  con3<'nts  to  do  \\hatcver  God  com- 
mands, or  the  law  r3f|ijire:s;  an!  to  b«  disposed  of  as  he  shall  think 
proper — ''Thy  will  be  done,"' is  its  lauguage. 

N.  Has  not  repentance,  conversion,  faith^  and  all  right  Gos- 
pel exercises,  the  nature  of  this  submission.^ 

A.     They  have. 

N.  May  nor  this  submission  have  in  it  am/  conditions  ?  or 
must  it  be  uriciinditiMnal.'' 

A.  It  must  have  noi^e;  because  conditions  make  it  to  be  down- 
right bargaininsr. 

N.  Rut,  if  one  were  willinir  to  be  lost,  in  order  to  the  saviner 
of  two,  or  any  greater  number,  would  not  this  be  unconditional  sub- 
mission.^ 

A;     No;  nothing  like  if. 

T^.  Does  the  Gospi"!  require  any  one  to  feel  willing  to  be  lest, 
in  order  to  .save  any  number  whatever.'' 

A.     No:  nothing  like  it. 

Isl.     \liglit  not  the  Gospel  make  such  requirements.^ 

A.  Ni>;  lor  many  reasons.  Ail  Gospel  requirements  are  cob^ 
sistent  one  with  another  We  are  req-iired  to  feel  unconditional 
submission  to  the  Divine  Law.  Now,  it  would  be  inconsistent  with 
this  unconditional  subniission,  to  require  us  to  be  williijg  to  be  lost 
for  the  sake  of  siivi'ig  any  number.  Because  that  number,  thus  saved, 
would  be  a  condition.  And  this  very  condition,  too,  would  be  the 
thing  that  influences  the  will,  instead  of  tlie  Divine  command  or 
law. 

Again:  if  we  were  willing  to  be  lost,  this  couM  be  no  ground  of 
salvation  toanv  one:  and  it  would  b.^  vain  for  us  to  fee'  willing  to  be 
los  .furthe  saving -tf  -P.y  number,  when  vvp  knew  t'^-forehand  that 
our  being  lost  would  net,  and  could  mot,  save  a  solitary  soul. 


201 

Agtiin;  it' we  even  know  it  would  accompiisl!  that  purpose;  vet 
wedu  not  Ueli'iin  *o  oursi.  Jvi's.  and  huvc  no  i  i^i-t  to  di>i)Ose  of  our 
selves  in  tliat  w  ay. 

KeioRgiug  to  him  that  maiic  us,  we  must  i^^A  wlilirtg  to  be  dis 
j)o?ied  ot  just  as  he  p!eiSr*os,  ui  a^  tiu-  iau-  lUr^crs.  wit^on  aiij  condi- 
tions or  gratuitously  [jrotlereti  *e:vu->  uhatt-Ntr. 

N.  I1)'A',  now,  will  y.-.u  KKp'.ira  S  .  r^.'il — ••  F')r  S  could  wisli 
ihatinyst-Il'  were  accirsfd  ffoia  Ciiri-'  fur  my  srf tisroii."     [x] 

A.  Exactly  in  accordai.c;"  witii  'he  thre'  r-:  a--f;ti«.  jiist  iissigned. 
It  matters  not  whether  the  iirs^  wnid  in  that  veor.  ijc  i.^jdered  ••  I 
did  wish,"  nr  •''  I  could  wish,"  a^  we  l-.iite  it.  No<hi,  g  is  gained 
by  the  one,  umre  than  tiie  otlier  way.  Beca'i-.e  the  Ajjostie  !S -ex- 
pressing hi!-  very  sn-ongpst  teelings  oJ  '..e  evcience,  ys  it  Christian-, 
for  tlie  Jews,  his  bivthreii;  fhu  Iv-  '.vvis  vviiimg  (O  =lo  ot  to  undergo 
any  thing  that  he,  as  an  imlividaai,  couid  do  or  mulprgo.  consistently 
vvitii  the  Divine  Law  or  command,  ^m  di<'  s:ilvalion  of  !)is  brethrefi 
according  to  the  fiesh.  Bt't,  as  lie  ii^d  no  Divme  command;  as  he 
had  no  right  thus  to  dispose  of  himself;  a§  it  would  not  have  answeu- 
ed  the  purpose  if  he  had  a  right;  he  could  not,  therefore,  as  a  Chris- 
tian, consistently,  feel  willing  to  suffer  eternal  ruin  for  the  salvatioff 
of  his  brethren. 

Because  their  salvation  would  be  the  very  condition  on  which 
he  would  be  supposed  to  make  the  agreeraeot  or  bargaining.  Where- 
as, his  place,  as  an  obedient  subject,  was  to  feel  unconditional  u^- 
mission  to  the  Divine  Law  and  command. 

Further;  he  would  be  acting  of  his  own  accord,  without  law  op 
command,  which  would  be  at  least  a  work  of  supererogation. 

Further;  if  lie  dispose  ot  himself  in  a  way  in  which  he  has  irb 
i;ight,  he  violates  the  rights  of  his  proper  ov/ner;  this  would  be  even 
a  transgression  of  lavv'. 

Further.  Knowing  that  the  salvation  of  his  brethren  could  not 
iiave  been  accomplished,  even  ifiie  were  to  suffer  eternal  ruin,  ex- 
pressly for  that  purpose,  it  would  have  been  vain  to  fee!  willing  to 
ofiVr  himseU,  seeing  he  would  have  lost  every  thing,  and  nothing 
would  be  gained  by  iiimself,  nor  by  his  people. 

N.  Do;-s  the  Apostis's  expression — ■'•'  accursed  from  Ciirist," 
mean  eiernal  ruin? 

A.     If  you  mean,  bv.  eternal  rain,  a  man's  becoming  the  sinner; 


See  noman?j  9,  o. 


202 

continiiing  S2<c/?,  ard  suiFeriuj*  tlie  penalty  of  law,  which  is  eteniai 
p'.Hjishineiif:  I  adswer.  it  nieaM-.   notlmig  like  lu 

N.      Tafn  wii;il  doi's  ii  i^ipiv? 

A.  Evidentlv  this  much,  ihat  lie  felt  willing  to  do  and  to  suf- 
fer every  thing  that  C(.iii(i  po.-^sihi)'  be  done  and  sutiVred  b)  him, 
consistently  with  the  above  as-*ia.iicd  leasjo.is,  which  is  feeling  just 
whai  every  Christian  ought  (t>  leel. 

N.  Granting  tins  to  bee  irrect;  yet,  may  not  the  creature's 
heart  be  so  placed  on  the  ^\ory  of  the  M  »st  iigh,  and  witli  such  in- 
tensity of  delight,  as  that  he  wouWi  submit  to  be  lost  for  the  sake  ol" 
promoting  so  glorious  an  objtctf 

A.  No;  neither  is  that  correct,  bi^cause  this,  too,  would  sup- 
pose his  heart  turned  away  from  the  Divme  Law  or  command, 
which  is  invariably  the  reid  and  the  oisly  role  of  his  unconditional 
submission;  and  that  the  submission  was  not  to  the  law.  And  it 
would  suppose  that  his  heart  wa*  placed  on  the  glory  of  G  .d,  as  the 
object,  and  that  the  submitting  to  -^uSfer  is  ine.re/y  to  promote  this 
object,  the  glorv  of  God.  Now,  this  makes  the  g'ory  of  God  a  con- 
dition, on  account  of  which  tlie  crea'ureis  supposed  to  submif  to  that 
suu'tTtng;  whereas,  his  place,  as  a  subject,  was  to  submit  to  the  Uw 
without  any  condition  whatever.  And,  m  r)o  other  way  at  all,  is  he 
allowed  even  toattempt  glorifying  God.  It  is  forever  the  province 
of  the  Divine  Legislator,  to  devise  ways  and  means  to  glorify  the 
Most  High;  and  it  ill  becomes  his  subjecis  to  prescribe  ways' and 
means,  and  conditiimsto  glorify  Him;  but  well  it  becomes  tiiem  to 
take  the  way  the  Legislator  hath  prestribt'd,  and  to  feel  that  this  is 
the  true  and  only  way  tiiey  can  properly  take  to  glorify  Him,  whose 
glory  is  above  the  heavens. 

N.  Is  unconditional  submission  made  to  the  Divine  Being  as 
a  Sovereign  particularly? 

A.  No;  for  mere  sovereignty  gives  no  law,  "  as  a  rule  prc- 
gcribed  ? 

N.  Is  it  to  be  rendered  to  him  in  any  one  official  capacity  se- 
parately ? 

A.     Strictly  speaking,  no. 

N.  In  wriur  sense,  iht-n,  is  this  submission  stric'ly  to  be  ren- 
dered <o  tiie  Divino  being? 

A.  Remi  mber,  he  does  not  govern  the  rational  universe  as  a 
Sovereign;  fur  tid?.  would  oe  governing  wii'ioutlavv  prescribed  as  a 
rule.  But  he  has  taken  to  himself  the  buMuess  of  Legislator,  and, 
as  such,  lias  establisi.ed  a  sj^tem  uf  governmental  printiples,  by 
whicii  t!i«t  u  iverse  is  lo  b.-  governed.  In  t  le  aiiministration  <5f 
government,  he  exercises  all  its  appropriate  odices. 


203 

Now,  whatever  is  said  to  us  as  ralianal  accountable  beins;*,  is 
spoken  either  inthe  liinsi;ui^'a  A'  the  law  of  v\orks.  iM  of  rlie  \i\v  of 
failhj  of  course,  wliatever  subini^sio-i  worcui  er,  it'>>t  ■.  *hf  law.  And} 
in  suUmittin,^  to  the  law,  we  lionorthe  D^vitie  Bcitiu^  iu  evt^ry  c^  pa- 
oity.  But  (he  particular  poiat  of  sul)nii«,siori  will  be  iisade  to  Heitj, 
accordin;^  t(»   law,  in  wha.ev«  r  otlicf   hesi^..!;-    ;.•■    '  c  iittsf  beiiig. 

For  example,  it  we  0D(-*y  the  law  oi  u;  ;-.s,  i>r  ■!,;  iaw  of  t.iith, 
we  Siubniit  lo  him  as  Legi^lanjr.  i),  at  •„•(.■;  i  '■vc  ^  ;  .-  .  it  ro  rh- sen- 
tence (»!'  liiw  proiiouiiceu  by  t!)e  ,'U'  g-,  Mi.ir  sub  ,is>.:Mti,  riieii,  isi  to 
the  Judge.  And,  if  we  submit  lu  V.  e  execution  of  iaw,  it  is  render- 
ed to  'iie  Governor. 

Now,  tlie  laUj^ijage  of  the  law  of  faitli  is  this — '"Hethat  beliav- 
eth  siiall  bo  saved,  and  he  tlvj;  b  M(  Vfili  no':,  is  coodeinned  alrea- 
dy." So,  rliet!,  if  I  am  a  believer,  {  come  under  the  prorr.ise  of  par- 
don, and  ou!i;lit  to  submit  to  it.  Lf  I  am  an  unbeliever,  I  am  on- 
demned  ulreadv,  ami  ought  to  submit  to  that  sentence. 

And,  when  t'le  General  IJourt  shall  sir,  the  J  •  g  wi'S  pro- 
nounce the  sentence,  according  to  tlie  law  ot  faiih,  thai  if  1  a  n  a  be. 
lifcver,  I  -hall  he  saved  accoidingl  v.  But  it  [am  the  unOelii'ver,  the 
Jud;^e  will  pronounce  me  ^ucb,  rind,  of  course,  the  aiicient  sentence 
of  condemnation  shall  go  aoainst  me;  and  I  ouj^hr  also  to  sao.uit  to 
this,  it  1  do  not  honestly  so  submit,  t  ; -ce  is  no  Suf-^rence  tietwesn 
the  moral  temper  of  my  he^irt,  and.  that  o!  a  laiien  An^ei.  N<»w, 
you  may  see  what  I  mean  by  uncauditional  submission  to  the  Divine 
will  or  law. 

N.  Why  should  an  unbeliever  feel  obligated  to  submit  to  the 
sentence  o!  the  law  that  ccmdetn*  hi.n,  as  pionouiiced  bv  theJud)i;e? 

A.  The  same  obli;ihtior:s  bind  an  unbeliever  to  su!)  (jM  to  hi 
sentence  of  lavv,  which  bind  he  iielu^ver  ro  -ubinir  <o  his.  Tiie  ob- 
li£;ations  of  boih  arisf' from  die  ^iiod!ie>s  of  the  la--,  as  a  rule  pre- 
scribed by  properauthoritv.  Hdd  either  the  b<diever  or  th-^  unbeliever 
,an)  honest  rea.son  or  evulen-e  that  the  law  was  not  hoi.,  j'lsi,  and 
good;  tiiiit  it  either  required  or  tlneaicned  tii  i  much, or  ^O)  little;  t'^en 
either  (me  cou'd  nave  frl-  nr^utd  v  tieii.  or  'loii'd  -o  sub  .)it  to  it 
And  the  most  thai  they  could  fee',  would  i)e  an  o  .twai.-!  c  i  is'  r  t, 
by  superior  force.  So,  then,  either  nany  would  aUvays  feel  him- 
self at  liberty,  and  that  i'  would  be.i'^h  to  th'ow  otFthat  outward 
constrHint.  as  soon  ashe<<)'.dd  -'o  <»o  wirii  iiupunitv.  Bu',  b -ih  ihc 
believiM'and  the  unbeliever  do  fenl  that  the  lavv  i-  gMud,  just  s,>  far 
as  they  have  es-imined  it  t!ienist-Ives,  am!  a'te.-ided  to  rlie  evidence 
in  its  favor.  In  that  |;roportion,  rli>"n.  both  fei^'i  mw:irdly  tied  or 
bound  to  obey  it;  and  if  they  do  not-  obey,  thev  feei  ^^uil' v. 

Seeing,  then,  that  a  believer  and  the  unbeliever,are  under  equal 


2@4 

anu  me  same  oaligations  to  submit  to  tlie  law.  becau'.e  convinced  it 
is  good;  it  is  plain  that,  in  proportion  as  the  believer  feels  obligareH 
to  submit  to  the  law,  m  the  same  proportion  he  will  feel  under  obli- 
gation not  to  accept  of  pariion  in  any  way  lie  knows  to  beinconsist- 
oiit  with  that  law.  For,  if  he  did,  it  woubi  be  an  act  of  kiiowu,  wil- 
ful dishonesty.  Of  course  his  temper  of  hear!,  as  an  honest  peni- 
tent believer,  is  such,  that  he  would  rather  subuut  to  the  seatence 
of  condemnation,  according  to  a  rigbteous  law,  tiiau  toaccept  ot  par- 
don inconsistently  with  that  law.  Novv,  this  is  the  feelni^  of  the 
honest  penitent  convert,  from  the  very  moment  of  his  ^tiiuitie  re- 
pentance, iie  is  so  convinced  of  the  goodness  of  the  law,  and  of 
the  propriety  of  acting  accordirig  to  it;  and  so  convinced  of  the 
impropriety  of  acting  contrary  to  that  law,  and  dishonoiably  to- 
was  (is  Gijd,  that  lie  really  feels  rjetermined  to  go  on  in  doing  right, 
whether  iie  be  pardoned  or  coiidemned. 

His  heart  is  all  the  while  approving  of  the  sentence  of  the  law 
that  c^jnrltfmned  hun  as  a  sinner;  yet  is  willing  to  accept  of  pardon, 
if  it  come  consistently  with  that  law,  whenever  it  shall  meet  hJs 
case. 

Therefore,  both,  while  (hey  were  yet  sinners,  were  under  the 
same  sentence,  "beinij  c  "idemned  already."  The  penitent  has 
really  and  substantially  submitted  to  that  very  sentence, to  which  the 
impenitent  is  yet  required  to  submit.  And  the  unbeliever  will  ever 
be  under  the  same  o'/iigatiaa*  thai  he  n  ).v  is,  to  sab.nit.  And,  as  ids 
obligation  is  the  same  yesterday,  to  day,  and  forever,  if  he  do  not 
in  time  submit,  during  ihe  offers  ot  pardoii,  he  will  be  under  no 
less  obligation  to  submit  throughout  eternity,  even  if  pardon  be  never 
more  nffpied. 

Nothing  can  be  plainer  than  that  every  rebel,  in  God's  govern- 
ment, ought  to  give  up  his  sins  and  become  a  uo'  d  citizen,  and,  in 
heart,  approve  of  the  l;iw.  whet'iec  he  be  pardoned  or  not.  For,  even 
if  he  be  not  pardoned,  he  bad  far  better  suller  in  weil-iomg,  than  in 
ill-uoiiij^. 

N.  Does  this  entire  submission  to  the  sentence  of  law,  imply 
any  love  to  misery? 

A.  Not  in  the  least  degree;  for  the  sinner's  loving  the  law,  and 
submitting  to  its  senteme,  no  more  implies  t'~,at  le  lo\e^  pain,  trail 
the  Governor's  punishing  the  hlimer,  implies  thai  ■•  He  (ie!ightet'»  in 
the  death  o*' him  that  fiieth" 

N  Does  this  (U^h  submission  imply  tiiat  one  should  be  willing 
to  be  damned  for  t!  e  si'irv  <d  G-uL^ 

A.  Ni)such  fhinjr;  -or  such  a  « iiiinjitiess  wuld  im.dv  flut*  his 
heart  was  actually  turned  from  the  love  of  law,  eiiner  t«  tiie  love  of 


205 

puni'=;hrnent — a  kiad  of  iovc,  this,  utterly  impossible  iov  any  rat.iou- 
al  beid^-.  holy  or  unhoiv,  ever  to  feel — or  else  to  the  glory  of  (xoU  as 
'acoiiuition,  which  is  atver  to  be  admitted. 

N.  What  think  you  of  the  sentiment- that  ono  "should  be 
v.illini!;  to  be  damned  for  ihe  glory  of  Go<;  r" 

A.  I  think,  as  alread)  shewn,  it  is  false,  and,  iaorcover,  ab- 
surd^ because  it  supposes  that  to  love  puiiishnient,  or  else  to  be  in- 
•lueaced  by  some  condition,  would  tend  uiurc  to  glont)  ijotj,  tiian 
■  0  love  both  God  and  his  law  tDgeih-^.r,  ii-  was  bhewn  befare. 

N.  But  must  not  the  sinner  accepi  ot  tue  puaif^iinieut  of  his 
iniquity? 

A.      Yes;  and  without  a  muraiuro 

N.      What  does  tuis  ir;ean  ? 

A.  NjLhing  more  than  tnatiie  &ubinit  to  the  sentence  of  law, 
which  coudemns  him,  as  shewn  beloie. 

N.  But,  if  he  do  this,  would  he  not  then  have  the  same  tem- 
per oi  iieart  which  the  behever  has? 

A.      He  would  undoubtedly. 

N.  i'heii,  \\n'a  uiat  temper  of  heart,  would  he  not  '•  agree  or 
consent  to  accept  of  pardon,  aod  ue  saved  baieiy  ami  purely  on  ac- 
count ol  the  iitunemeri'.,  as  it  is  propost-d  L)y  the  Divine  Governor? 

A.  He  woaid,  oniiesitaiingiy.  Although  there  is  not  the  least 
r)rob:ibiliiy  he  ever  vvill  du  ihi-j,  unltss  he  doit  before  death — "For,  as 
the  tree  fallt*-th,  so  it  iieth,*' 

N.  Yes,  true;  but.  suppose  he  did  so  consent,  how  then 
would  t!ie  Governor  treat  him,  after  he  had  become  this  peaceable 
citizen? 

A.  I  see  you  have  not  forgotten  what  was  said  about  the  iaWj 
and  about  the  Governor,  as  the  executor  ot  the  law;  and  how  th^t 
one  important  iiesign  of  the  law  was  to  guaid  the  innocent  against 
the  lawless.  And,  in  the  case  you  have  supposed,  the  person  is 
now  a  peaccdbie  citizeiu  and  no  longer  lawless?  of  course  the  GqV" 
ernor  could  not,  with  propriety,  execute  tiie  law  uponldm. 

N.  Well,  how  Will  he  dispose  of  him,  seeing  he  cannot  be  es;- 
ecuteii? 

A.  He  must  do  one  oftwo  things;  either  panlon!ura,or  let  him  go  at 
liberty,  ts  if  he  were  not  a  su  »jert  of  the  Divine  Government.  Por^ 
if  the  Governor  can  neither,  pardon  nor  execute  him,  he  cannot  treat 
llim  as  a  subject. 

N.     But,  if  this  supposed  case  should  take  place,  af^ertheday 
ofjuJgmenr,  would  it  not  pu<  the  Executive,  or   the  Governor,   ia 
somewliat  embarrassing  circumstances,  if  he  could  neither  jparilOB 
nor  execute  him  ? 
R 


206 

A.  If  it  should  do  so,  that  is  not  the  sinner's  look  out.  His 
business  is  to  give  up  his  s-insj  to  approve  the  law,  and  to  become 
the  peaceable  citizen,  whether  he  be  pardoned  o^'  not;  and  to  leave 
tile  Governor  to  act  for  himself. 

N.      But  will  not  the  Governor  maintain  the  law  ? 

A.      He  will,  assuredly . 

N.      T'leii,  can  he  maintain  the  law,  and  not  execute  it  ? 

A.  Ye^.  for,  whe!)  the  end  of  government  is  secured,  the  hiw 
15  always  maintained,  whetlier  in  the  pardon  or  in  the  execution  of 
a  siniuT. 

Now,  to  execute  tiie  supposed  p'r-aceabla  subject,  would  be  in- 
consis'u  nr  vvita  the  lavvanu  the  end  of  government;  because  jusiice 
co:isisf.s  in  treating  a  ni.-ral  iigent  according  tahis  present  character, 
in  the  view  ol  law.  And  yet,  unless  tlie  utnneinent  would  reacli 
;ind  cover  hisca.-e,  it  would  be  inconsistent  with  the  end  of  Guvcrn- 
meui  tj  pardon  him;  because,  in  so  doing,  public  confidence  would 
be  weakened. 

N.      Well,  how  will  you  extricate  the  Governor? 

A.  Quite  easily.  For  the  law  of  faith  is  a  standing  law  of  the 
Divine  Government,  and  as  permanen  as  the  law  of  works;  aiul  t'.e 
atonement  is  the  governmental  ground  on  whic!)  the  Governor  acts, 
rn  pardoning  ali  of  a  pardonable  chaiacser,  at  any  time,  or  even  in 
eternity.  For  this  law  of  faith,  estabiishtd  for  tlie  use  and  advan- 
tage of  sinners,  will  continue  in  furce  ai.d  ruo  parallel  through  eter- 
nity, with  the  law  of  works  established  for  the  use  and  aavantage  of 
{he  perfectly  innocent. 

N.  VVtiy  nut  suppose-  ihen,  that  uiany  ot  the  human  family 
shall  he  pardoned,  lung  alter  the  G^nt-ral  jinigment? 

A.  It  is  ceriam  they  a;ver  will.  Not  because  of  the  sentence  of 
(he  Judge  at  th  Cnur  ;  out  becau-^e  the  atonement  will  ever  be  less 
availabtej  not.  because  the  Governor  will  ever  be  less  disposed  to  for- 
give the  pudoit.ible;  and  not  because  tnc  law  will  ever  stand  in  their 
Way  it  they  ha>l  arighi  teinpei-;  but  barely  and  purely  becaus^e  they 
\vho  die  with  a  wrong  t'-mper  of  heart,  wili  be  found,  at  the  Gene- 
ra- Judgment,  with  that  wronij  temper,  and  will  jontiniie  to  hnve  it 
foi  ever  ani  ever.  T  lerelore,  it  shall  be  seen  througit  eternity,  that 
no'nii'ji  stai.os  bei wei  n  the  sinner  and  neaven.  but  his  own  \oluniapv 
incorrigible,  unreleiiiing,  lawless^  temper  ot  heart. 


20f 


NATURAL  ABILITY. 

N.     Have  all  men  natural  ability  to  do  right? 

A-  Ye=i,  and  wrong  too.  For  no  more  natural  ability  is  requi- 
site in  doing  one,  than  in  doing  the  other.  Natural  ability  is  that 
power  or  strength  we  exert  in  doing  natural  things.  But  the  moral 
law  neverreqnired  us  to  do  natural  things  above  our  natural  strength. 
But,  in  all  cases,  a  "  willing  mind  shall  be  accepted,  according  tp 
what  we  have,  and  not  according  to  what  we  have  not." 

N.  If  a  willing  mind  shall  be  accepted  in  all  case^,  does  it  not 
follow  that  natural  ability  is  not  the  cause  of  moral  right  or  wrong? 

A.     Yes.     It  is  the  cause  of  neither. 

N.  Can  natural  ability  do  any  thing  by  way  of  influencing  the 
mind  to  be  willing  or  unwilling  ? 

A.     N05  not  any  thing. 

N.  Then,  as  to  moral  right  and  wrong,  might  not  men  be  gs 
well  without  natural  ability?  and  might  we  not  as  well  tell  them  they 
have  none? 

A.     No;  by  no  means. 

N.     Then  of  what  use  is  it  to  them  ? 

A.  If  they  had  no  natural  ability  to  do  right,  they  would  have 
a  good  excuse  for  not  doing  right,  and  would  not  feel  guilty  for  not 
doing  it. 

N.  Well,  admitting  it  is  true  they  have  it,  what  advantage  is 
it  to  them,  for  us  to  tell  thetn  they  have  it? 

A.  It  may  prevent  them  from  taking  it  as  an  excuse,  by  saying 
they  have  none. 

N.  What  damage  might  they  sustain,  if  we  should  tell  them 
they  have  no  natural  ability  to  do  right,  or  even  leave  them  to  in- 
fer it  ? 

A.  It  mightinfiuencethcm  tobelieveit,  andto  takeit  as  an  eJT- 
cuse,  though  they  have  no  right  to  it,  which,  perhaps,  they  would 
not  have  done,  if  they  had  not  been  told  so. 

N.  What  damage  might  they  sustain  by  being  told,  "  they 
have  natural  ability  enough;  and,  ought,  therefore,  to  repent  imme- 
diately, and  go  on  to  do  right." 

A.     None.     For  this  is  the  truth. 

N.     Does  any  do  this  merely  of  their  own  natural  ability? 

A.     No;  not  one. 

N      What  damage  might  they  sustain  by  being  told,  theydo  ? 


2bS 

A.  Men  might  i>e,  in  this  way,  eriCournfz;p(1  tolhink  theiiis' ive?.  ! 
better,  bv  natur-,  tiiau  they  reallv  aiv',  and  aacrib  ■  to  ti>eir  natural  ; 
ability.  wl);it  oviglit  to  be  uscribe^i   t(»  thi?  Divine  Sp  rit. 

N.  But  inigbt  th^■y  not  b^A  t'jlil,  '•  r'iat,  whon  ilie  Divine  Spirit 
strives  with  irieu,  aivJ  pulls  lh?in  as  much  one  way,  as  the  Devil 
pulls  the  (itlier.  so  as  to  form  a  balance,  then  they,  by  their 
natural  power,  turn  t'le  seal.  .  and  so  become  willing:;  and  tlien  the 
Divine  Spirit  will  make  the«r  hearts  right?'' 

A.  No;  this  is  entirely  incorrect.  For  whi'ever  the  mind  is' 
either  williiijr  or  oawillino;,  i"^  is  altogether  on  the  rme  sidf  Or  the 
other.  Therefore,  to  form  the  balance,  the  person  must  be  pulled 
untU  he  is  neither  wdlio;;^  nor  unwilling,  whi^h  would  destroy  his 
will.  And  it  then  would  take  just  as  much  power  to  turn  the  scale"> 
as  to  form  anew  will.  Besides,  <•  a  wilting  mind  shall  be  accept- 
ed." Hi*  willingness,  and  a  new  heart,  are  the  same  thing;  and,  if 
the  Divine  Spirit  should  change  a  willing  mind,  the  mind  would  be 
unwdling  agiiin. 

N.  What  19  itieant  in  John  6,  44 — '"  No  man  can  come  t» 
uie,  except  th«  Father  which  hath  ^ent  mv,  draw  him?" 

A.  The  same  as  in  John  5,  40— '*  \ud  ye  will  not  come  to  me 
that  ye  might  have  life." 

N.     What  kind  of  inability   is  that — '*No  man  can  come?" 

A.  It  is  moral  inability,  which  is  an  unwillingness  to  come. 
And  moral  ability  is  a  willingness  to  come. 

N.     Is  this  moral  inability  any  excuse  for  a  sinner? 

A.  No.  It  is  his  unwillingness  which  is  his  crime.  And  his 
criminality  is  great,  in  proportion  to  the  degree  of  moral  inability, 
or  unwillingness  to  do  his  duty. 


(^^mwm.^^^:^m^m  m, 


N.  As  there  .is  nothing  in  the  nature  of  pain  to  make  the  crcaturfe 
fove,  or  to  change  his  heart;  as  there  is  nothing  in  his  natuial  abiiityj 
as  there  is  nothing  in  his  heart  to  change  itself;  and  as  such,  a  change 
is  absolutely  indispcnsible,  pleuse  tell  how  thut  all-impurtant  change 
can  be  effected  } 

A.      In  no  o'Jier   way   than  that  he  be  regenerated  and    bor.'J 
a^a'  n. 

N.  Why  say  both  '•  regenerated  and  born  ag.iinr"  Is  not.  rc- 
j^cneraticM  ;uid  a  being  bora  aijain,  the  same  thing  ? 


209 

A.     No  ;  they  are  very  different. 

N.      Which  is  first? 

A.     ll^i^eneratiou;  and  the  being  boni  again,  always  follows. 

N.      What  is  regeneration ? 

A.     It  is  that  special  actof  t'lie  iVivine   Spirit  that  renews  the 
sinner's  heart. 

N.      Why  is  it  called  a  special  act? 

A.  Because  this  act  always  produces  a  new  heart.  It  is  called 
special,  to  distinguish  it  from  those  common  acts  of  the  Spirit  that 
produce  conviction  only,  and  which  acts,  or  strivings,  the  sinner  al- 
Witys  resists. 

N.  Does  this  special  act  create  any  new  faculty^  or  is  it  a 
meudino'  of  the  old  ones? 

A.  It  may  be  called  a  creative  act,  yet  it  does  not  mend  any 
old  faculty,  nor  does  it  create  a  new  faculty,  different  from  v.'hat 
the  subject  had  before. 

N.      What  then  dries  it  create? 

A.  It  creates  that  thing,  or  '*  new  creature,"  called  a  being. 
bora  again. 

N.  What  is  that  particular  thing  produced,  which  constitutes 
"  a  being  born  ag;iin,  or  a  new  creatarer" 

A.     That  iirst  rig'it  Gospel  exercise  of  heart,  deno:niriated  Rk- 

PENTANCEv 

N.     Is  this  new  creatire,  or  first  right  exercise,  an  emanation  ' 

from  the  Spirit  as  a  stream  from  tls'ie  fountain  ? 

A.     No,  in  no  sense;  for  that  would  suppose  this  new  creaiure  : 

once  existed  in   the   Divine  Spirit,  like  the  stream  once    in    the 
fountain* 

N.  Then  is  not  this  first  holy  act  of  the  creature,  called  re 
pentance,  an  effect  of  ti;e  Divine  Spirit,  as  its  cause? 

A-   Yes,  certainly. 

N.  Then,  does  the  Spirit  employ  any  thing  as  an  instrument, 
between  his  own  agency  and  the  new  creature? 

A.     He  employs  nothing  as  an  instrument  in  this  sense.     TiiC  ' 

new  creature,  or  new  heart,  is  an  effect  of  his  own  direct  agency. 

N.      How,  (hen,  does  he  make  use  of  truth  or  moral  light? 
A.     He  presents  truth  or  moral  light,  to  the  unders'anding  of 
a  moral  agent;  and,  by  this  light,  proper  object*  are  laid  btfure  the 
heart,  as  motives  of  choice  or  action. 

N.     Might  not  the  Spirit,  as  trie  most  eloquent  agent  in  the 
liniverse,   by  presenting  truth  or  moral  light  to  the  understanding 
an  1  by  it   laying  before  the  heart  proper    objects  of  choice,   as  mo- 
tivei,  thus  induce  a   new  heart,  or  influence  the  sioner  to  repent,, 
•mtbotit  that  special  creative  act,  called  regeneration?  R3  | 


2iO 

A.  N(!:  I'ur  tiii:^  woulil  Suppose  (h;ft  aU  Uie  w  ickclties-i  oi'  a 
giiint'r's  lu-a;-i  was  (he  mere  conspcjuence  ot  l!i8  wantot  inforniation 
a'juvit  Goil  and  Divine  things-. 

Whe:-i:a.s,  hi->  la'derjlanilinii;  is  d;;:!-:cno(l  by  tiie  biiminoss  oi; 
wick  ed  rcss  ol"  (lis  iiearr,  as  the  S.iviovu-    s-in's  ;     (a)     "  Now  havu 

(a)    See  Jclin.  15,  24.     Homasis,  3. 

ttiey  both  saen  and  hated  both  lue  and  my  Father. "  Nov.",  in  pro- 
portion as  light  h  presented  to  the  understanding,  the  impenitent 
heart  goes  oti  to  fortify  itself  in  rebellion,  a'.id  becomes  more  and 
more  darin;^ly  and  desperately  wicked.  The  fact  is,  the  Holy  Spi- 
rit presents  truth,  or  moral  light,  before  the  understanding  of  the 
sinner;  and,  by  this  light,  tiie  proper  objects,  as  motives,  with  their 
attendant  g.>od  consequences;  and  the  improper  objects,  as  inotives, 
with  their  attendant  bad  consequences,  also.  Al!  arc  laid  nsi'ore  the 
heart;  yet  something  more  must  be  done,  else  all  is  vain.  Because^ 
after  ail  this  array  of  motives,  that  heart  will  continue  to  ''refuse 
the  good,  and  to  choose  the  evil,  until,  by  a  special  act  of  t!ie  Di- 
vine Spirit,  It  is  caused  to  choose  the  good,  and  refuse  the  evil." 

N.  This  is  triir,  about  the  first  right  Gospel  exercise  in  the 
sinner's  hear!;  but  is  it  equally  true  about  all  his  succeeding  good 
and  right  ones  ? 

A.  Yes,  equally  so  ;  for  no  succeeding  right  exercise,  derives 
its  being,  nor  its  moral  q\jality,  froni  the  first  right  exercise,  nor  from. 
any  prt-cediiin:  one.  For  then  they  would  be  alternate  causes  and 
eflfe'ts,  or  else  as  fountain  and  stream  to  one  another.  Whereas, 
the  Holy  S.i>irit.  who  began  the  good  work,  does  not  drop  it;  for 
then,  it  would  stop;  but  He  carries  it  on  to  completion".  And  His 
eneniv  shall  never  have  it  to  say  of  Him,  "He  began  to  build,  but 
was  not  able  TO  ti  !!sh."     (b) 

N.  May  n(»t  all  hoi}  afl['ecti(>ns,  after  the  first,  be  emanations 
of  the  Div  ne  Spirit,  rather  than  his  productions? 

A.  N.»  ;  f"r  that  would  suppose  the  same  connexion  as  be- 
tween fi:u  jfain  and  stream,  or  that  they  existed  in  Him  as  the  foun- 
tain, bi'fori'  they  came  out  as  a  stream.  Wliereas,  the  connexion 
betwfcn  tht-se  holy  afllVctions  and  the  Divine  Spirit,  is  really  that 
of  caus-  and  pffect;  and  they  do  nut  exist  at  all  till  the  cause  pro- 
duces   h.  m. 

N.     Is  the  cre<<ture  active  or  passive,  in  regeneration? 


(b  )     See  PUil.  1,  6.     Rom.  8,  38,  and  Job,  17,  9. 


2iJ 

A.  Strictiv  speaking,  neither  of  these  wortls,  aCnvedi-  passive. 
cuiH'S  to  the  point.  For  .fegtaerixiion  is  purely  a  sp.?cial  act  of  the 
;>iviac  Spirit,  with  which  the  creaiure  Inu!  no  siDi-e  to  do  than  in 
lunkia?'  hiniseli'.  Because  tiie  thing  produced  by  this  special  net, 
iiad  no  sort  of  existence;  and,  of  course,  was  neither  a'-tive  nor  p'-is- 
r,ivo.  uiit'il  it  v/as  brought  into  existence  hy  th;it  act  called  re;^.';eae- 

ratioiK 

N.      V.'eil;  soon  as  it  existed,  was'it  in  a  niissive  or  in  du  active 

state  ? 

A.  It  was  active;  ioi-  the  very  thing  producetl  was  itself  right 
ranra!  action.  Now,  all  inoral  action  consists  in  ciico/iog  ,jnd  rrfus- 
inp-.  And  this  lirst  right  moral  action,  spoken  of,  consisted  in  re- 
fusinf  evil,  or  breaking  off  from  iU  by  honest  sorro'.v,  which  is  re- 
pentance; so.  »f  coarse,  is  activity  in  its  \'Q.vj  nature. 

N.     And,  is  this  iirst  right  mora!  action,-  that    breaks  oft' froui 
sin  bv  honest  sorrow,    and  denominated  repenhance;  is  this  thing, 
called  a  '*  being  born  ag.iin."" 

A.     The  identical  thing. 

N.  Does  the  same  reasoning  about  activity,  i'!  ;hc  first  right 
moral  action,  hohi  g  sod,  respecting  all  the  right  ones  which  suc- 
ceed the  first  'i 

A.  Yes,  exactly;  for,  they  all  have  the  same  cause  and  the 
the  same  general  nature,  though  they  have  a  specific  difference, 
that  deno:nin;itvS  one  repentance;  another,  conversion;  another, 
faith;  as  has  beet;  s'r.e.wn.  And  there  is,  strictly,  no  passiveness  in 
the  production  of  any  volitions. 

N.  \\v!l,  can  any  creature,  while  active,  as  an  agent,  be  pas- 
sive, as  it  respects  the  cause? 

A  N;;  m  no  case  whatever.  For,  if  he  have  no  existence, 
there  is  n<ithing  to  be  impressed.  Now.  to  suppose  him  passive,  im- 
plies a  previous  existence,  in  order  that  the  cause  might  act  upon. 
him. 

N.  Then,  is  it  not  correct  to  say.  he  can  be  active  as  in  agent, 
atid,  at  the  same  time,  dependent  as  it  respects  the  c-  use? 

A.  Yes;  for  these  right  Gospel  exercises,  are  ux.ral  action  of 
a  new  heart;  .iod  they  are  the  production  of  a  Divine  Cause;  and 
coming  »n  consequence  of  the  operation  of  that  cause^  of  course, 
they  are  at  the  right  time,  and  in  the  right  place,  to  be  dependent 
on  toar  cause.  Did  any  right  t^xercise  of  heart  take  place  a  moment 
after  the  ov.ranog  uause  was  over,  it  would  be  too  late  for  depend- 
ence. And,  did  it  come  a  moment  before  the  operating  cause,  it 
would  be  too  soon  for  dependence.  But  coming,  as  it<loes,  imme- 
diately ah>ng;  af'er  the  operating  cause,  it  is  precisely  in  time  and  in 
place  for  absolute  dtpendeuce. 


2i2 

Tliereiorc,  live  Divine  agency  does  not  operate  en  the  n)oiat 
a'^t'.nt,  so  as  to  produce  him  a  new  heart;  liut  the  Diviae  au;eiicy  is 
!'!'•  very  basis  on  wiiicli  the  new  heart  stands,  and  on  which  it  is  con- 
tini,);!!!}' tlenendcnt,  even  when  produced.  Hence,  in  being  born 
3'>itiit.  the  creature  is  really  active,  and,  at  tlie  same  tiine,  really  de- 
pendent, though  never  passive.  And  the  same  may  be  said  with 
respect  to  all  the  subsecpient  acts  of  this  new-born  creaiure. 

N.  But  is  not  the  Divine  Being  an  object  of  a  choice,  as  v»ei! 
as  the  cause  of  a  choice.'^ 

A.  Yes;  in  all  cases,  He  is  the  cause,  and  may  be  the  object 
of  choosing  and  refusing. 

N.  Can  any  cau:e  produce  an  effect,  in  a  time  and  place 
MJiere  it  is  not." 

A.      No,  of  course. 

N.  Tiien,  please  tell  how  the  Deity  can  be  the  object  of 
ciiolce,  and  the  cause  oi  choice,  at  one  and  th.e  same  tinie.^ 

A.  riiis  is  qui i.c  practicable.  Because  it  is  peculiar  to  the 
Divine  Being,  to  be  aia'!  tisn'vS  in  all  places.  He,  therefore,  is  al- 
ways, at  the  right  liaie,  and  in  the  riiht  place,  to  be  both  the  cause 
and  tile  object  of  right  clsoice.  He  i»  qualified  to  be  the  cause  be- 
liind,  and  t!ie  oi^ieet  before,  all  volitiap.s. 

And,  on  the  same  principle,  the  Deity  is  not  only  qualified  to 
be  the  proper  cause  and  object,  too,  of  choice;  but  is  also  qualiiifd 
to  present  all  other  objects,  through  the  understanding,  to  the  heart. 
So,  then,  the  creature  is  always  active  and  dependent  at  the  same 
time;  and  whiie  he  "  works  out  his  own  salvation,  it  is  God  that 
worketh  inhitn"  all  the  while;  and  thus  will  it  be,  on  and  on,  for 
ever  and  ever. 

N.  You  iiave  stated,  on  regeneration,  that  the  ivine  Spirit 
does  not  create  any  ne\v  facility,  nor  aiend  an  old  one:  but  that  Me 
does  produce  a  p  <!  ti  :u!ar  i;ii;ig,  wi/n.-h  thia^  i-i  called  -'abi'ing 
born  again,"  or  ''born  of  the  Spirit. "  Now,  what  is  tlie /jar/ia^/af 
thing  done,  or  produced  ? 

A.  You  know  that  fuoral  agency  coissists  in  choosing  and  re- 
fu'^ing.  The  heart  of  a  moral  agent  consi-ts  in  these  cuoosings  and 
refusings,  which  come  on  in  a  continuous  succession.  So,  then,  all 
the  choosings  and  refusings,  called  volitions  and  nolitions,  he  lias 
had,  and  ever  will  have,  constilute  his  heart;  and  he  can  have  bui 
one  at  a  titnr,  and  that,  eitliera  volition  or  a  noiition 

As  a  siojier,  all  iiis  exercises  of  heart,  whether  volition^*  or  noli- 
tions, are  sinful  j  because  his  choices,  or  volitions,  have  always  takoa 
place,  in  view  of  objects  which  ought  to  have  been  refused.  And 
bis  retusals;  or  nolition&,  have  always  taken  place,    in   view  of  ob- 


ch«tli:it  0!]<>lit  to  have  We,on  clvisen.  .  So,  (li^n,  all  his  exercises  ot 
iieu't,  1)  ive  c-.uxe  in  view  of,  and  wrc  p!  iced  on,  iinproj)cr  ubji-cts, 
wliilf  lie  continued  tlie  sinner;  notwilhstamiinji;  the  tad,  that  they 
are  the  'ft'ect  of  a  coutinuKus  Diviue  Providential  Agency,  as  their 
cnusf . 

These  thint:;^  b'i'iwx,  p'-enii^ed,  we  are  ri-iidy  for  the  questiou. 
Where:)?),  von  have  saiij.  "  fhe  S^iv.ne  8;)iiir  d  ip^  not  creat^>  a  new 
fiicuitv,  nor  aiend  an  old  one;  and,  is  lie  doe-;  not  change  an  old 
exeicise  into  h  iu>w  'O-e.  hot  d  -es  produ(  e  a  piU'Mcular  thing,  nhicb 
is  called  a  being  born  aiain,  or  Oorii  v-f'the  Spirit;  what  is  that  par- 
ticular thing -lonw  or  p'odu  ed?"  That  particular  thing  done,  by 
the  Divine  Spirit,  is  fit-  '^jioi-u-tion  o?' the  nest  succeeding  exercise 
of  heart,  in  the  view  of  ils proper  itad  (ipprooriale  object, 

N  Is  this  exercise  of  heart,  just  mentioned,  a  volition  or  ^ 
nolition? 

A.     It  is  strictly  a  nolition. 

N      What  is  the  obji.-et  of  it? 

A.     Sin. 

N.      Why  is  sin  called  it!*  proper  object.'' 

A.  Because  sin  is  an  object  that  ought  to  be  refused  and  foC-- 
saken. 

N.  And  why  should  we  call  sin, also,  the  appropriate  object  of 
this  nolition  or  refu!,al  ? 

A.  Because  sin  is  the  very  object,  for  the  loVing  of  which,  an 
honest  sorrow  should  be  felt,  in  thar  v-'ry  refusal,  or  nolition,  that 
lets  go,  or  breaks  oft'  from  sin.  And  this  refusal,  or  nolition,  is  the 
iirsi  right  Guspei  exercise  of  heart,  specifically  denominated  repent- 
ance, on  account  of  its  object,  as  explained  above* 

N.  But,  is  not  every  right  volition  or  uolirion,  as  much  de- 
pendent on  the  common  Providential  Agency,  as  the  wrong  ones 
are   } 

A.     Yes;  perfectly  so. 

N.  if  this  common  Providential  Agency,  be  the  cause  of  ail 
Tolitionsand  nolitions,  then,  huw  is  the  Divine  Spirit  the  cause  of 
good  one«  ^ 

A.  B_»  oprn-^iing'  in  conjunction  with  the  Providential  agencj-,, 
as  a  caUftC  that  places  thosi^.  voinions  on  tiieir  proper  objects.  Now- 
being  p:aced  ther^,  tiiey  are  caiied  good  '*ne;. 

N.  Why  oii:^.it  it  ri<jr  have  been  sufficient,  for  the  Divine  Spi- 
rit, to  iiaveb.r^^y  pi-csetiied  tlie  proper  object? 

A.  There  '.■v..uUl  th^^u  have  been  no  certainty,  but  that  the  ob- 
ject would  have  been  refused,  and  so  the  volition  would  be  badj  but 
to  be  certain  of  a  good  one,  it  was  aecessary   that   the  Spirit  should 


2U 

ijot  only  be  tlip  cau?e,  (as  beioiv  sta*eil.)  but  that  he  shoul.)  alsa 
pier^i'iit  i.li.^  proper  object. 

N.  But,  may  luit  t'r.is  particu' trfhi'ie-.  ptocJiicim!  b"«  r''j:eni.'ra- 
Uon.  and  called  a  being  burn  a^;:Ui,  be  styled  a  iMi^I^t  pnndp'e  of 
action  ? 

A.  No^  for  it  isri^ht  m^r.'il  action  itS' If:  beins;.  sirict!v.  as 
wass'>ewn,  a  "  nolition,  in  view  ot"  its  proper  arid  app;-Oj)nate  ob- 
ject." 

N.  Do  not  all  the  other  rip;ht  Gospel  cxeni-i'S  r.f  h-ait,  of 
whatever  specific  denomination,  arise  from  a  rii^hr  principle  of  ac- 
tion implanted  in  the  soul  ? 

A*  No;  for  they,  too,  whether  nolitions  or  volitioiis.  are  all 
tight  actions  themselves,  produced  bv  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  ruming 
in  view  of  their  proper  and  appropriate  objefTS.  "And  the^e  right  ac- 
tions themselves  are  all  the  right  principles  th(-  person  has,  and  all 
he  needs  to  have. 

N.  May  not  this  particfllar  thing,  called  being  born  again,  be 
a  power  of  riolu  action  ? 

A.  No;  for  all  the  power  of  h«ind  we  have,  is  in  the  mmd 
itself;  itis simply  that  power  or  strength  with  which  the  mind  acts; 
and,  according  to  its  degree,  the  mind  is  either  stronger  weak.  Now, 
instead  of  the  Divine  Spirit's  producing  a  power  of  rii*ht  action^ 
back  behind  the  mind,  it  is  right  moral  action  itself.  He  produces. 
And,  as  already  shewn,  Ht^  employs  no  instrumentality  whatever 
between  His  agency  and  the  actions  produced. 

N.  May  not  the  thing  called  born  again,  or  born  of  the  Spirit^ 
be  a  new  or  a  right  taste,  coiiiinunicdted  by  the  Spirit,  from  which 
right  taste,  the  first,  and  all  other  right  exercises  of  heart,  proceed? 

A.  Yes;  if  you  can  conceive  of  a  naked  taste,  existing  before 
there  was  a  thing  in  being  td  have  tha-  taste,  which  I  cannot  :  I 
think,  for  reasons  already  gfven,  that  the  Spirit  produces  all  those 
right  actions  themselves;  and  they  all  have  the  same  general  nature, 
or,   if  you  pie-ise,  moral  taste. 

And  so  it  may  be  ^aid  of  every  otiier  thing  that  could  be  sup- 
posed to  come  between  the  Divine  Agency  and  the  heart  ot  the 
creature,  for  the  purpose  of  cKaring  the  Divine  character  ,;' 
or  of  making  the  sinner's  case  the  easier.  Beciuse  the  infinite 
excellence  of  the  Divine  character,  will  be  as  easily  understood  and 
maintained;  and  the  sinner's  case  will  be  fully  as  favorable,  if  his 
heart  be  immediately  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  "am!,  wiiii  hi.*-  own 
haL'd  he  turncth  it  whithersoever  he  willeth;"  as  the  charac- 
ter (d'the  one  and  liie  case  of  the  other,  cOald  be,  if  the  Lord  should 
hold  his  heart,  and  yet  turn  it  by  the  most  ingenious  and  plausible 


215* 


itjstruinentaliues  that  have  ever  gained  a  lodgement  iti  any   [iuman 
tlncv. 


N.  i  reriiember  your  former  conversafiun,  friend  A.,  ou  Di- 
•vifie  cuiiaulio!),  vuidicares  thelcharacter  of  Diity  da  t;it':=e  pointy. — 
But  on  tne  plan  of  a  Divine  .\-^c;cy  I)  'h';i;  '■!;-■  laruediale  cause  of 
h\[  njiifai  fiCMO'i,  >.vdi  HOC  tlu-  siaoei'  foei.  !<>^s  biauu:  .vorttiy  Tluin  he 
\V',-L!;iJ  ;in  s-jui'-  oih^M-  piij'.  i-i:t'.  ^  !p;_»  3:'S  riie  Oivmf  Agrucy  does  not 
so  duectrv  pr.'Khace  his  iiiijr.il  oXvrci.ses  ? 

A.  No;  tor  nuthi.j.i;  la  -o  ctkuhiied  to  in  ;k;^  a  sinner  feid  liiirt' 
s'.'if  tjiiiineworthv,  as  tn  kuo-.v  the  pren?e  trutli  ;!boi!t  iiiaiseW:  a'sd 
tills  triith  b'^-iijg  Slated  bctaje  !r'  si,  y.i-t  ia  propn-tion  as  he  utsder- 
St'ands  it,  he  wiil  feel  hitn-^eU"  o!  i  n  -Nvorthj.  rnerefore,  is  be  SO 
ready  to  tiill  out  wllh  ihih  paitiuuiar  tcutb,  an^i  to  iVame  so  many 
oxciises  in  oixler  to  heave  nii  ;i  .nvast  disigreeabie  pressure.  Besides, 
the  mo  e  troth  is  clearly  seen,  the  more  it  wiil  bring  li^e  IJ.vire  cha- 
racter in  con  act  vv'ith  bis  own;  and,  us  proporiion  as  ihe  co!itr:i?i  is 
striking,  ids  blam-.nvorthvness  is  fe'ti  hence  tiie  inary  absurd  ex- 
cuses hin'i  evasive  pretexts  of  a  rt-bei  !\e3rt,  to  iiide  shitnif  and  mean- 
ness from  itself;  sothur  the  sinner  wiil  irin;>-  the  blame  on  his  Maker, 
or  any  one  else,  rodier  than  take  it  to  idmself;  and  will  afek  ''if 
God  caused  my  wroiig  volitions,  and  free  ciioices,  .hovi'  could  I 
heip  !t  r" 

N.  Well,  hov/  would  you  ansv,er  one  in  this  case  ? 
A.  I  would  say — Fiietid.  you  caniiot  help  wiist  yonr  Maker 
does,  nor  what  he  doe^  not;  ncr  are  you  to  b'arne  'or  uhat  he  daes, 
or  does  not*  Your  blaine  all  ii-s  in  yimr  own  tree  vvtong  choices; 
no  where  else.  All  th'Se  flioice-^  aie  so  uianv  de>pai  (ur'-.s  f-on!  the" 
law  prescribed  as  a  ruli-.  ie:iding  fi-oaj  your  lieart  ta  the  eudofgo- 
verunient.  Tbe.'.e  departures,  ti>e  Bibie  ced's-  tr  las^ieysio'iS  of  law.. 
Aod  tilt  sp  clioic-s.  which  ar.'  a  triiJisgreviion  of  ihe  law,  are  no 
Wiirse,  b(^caus".  o!  the  Disiue  A;.':ency  in  tas^.r  [jraduclioa,  than  they 
wi-uld  '-ave  b^ea,  r.ad  fcataa's  ii^forv  produced  t'hem.  jusr  as  they 
ar,  ;  or.  iffhese  free  wicke<l  choi;e-  of  year's  ci.uhi  havi  existed  as 
ti' -y  are,  widitMjt  any  cause,  ihpv  w  u!(i  bf  just  precisely  a^  blame- 
worthy as  they  now  arp;  you  know  tiiev  are  yom's;  hence  you  need 
not  'ravt-l  out  or  the  line  of  your  ov«  i>  hern's  acii(>n,  to  see  who  sliall 
^vertr  the  bLine. 

N.     But,  if  this  be  true,   would  it  do  to  preach  thu;*;  •>-  '    *  i 


2X0 

e-xcitos  the  siuaer  still  more  to  a  -elt-f xcusing  tempcr,atitl  so  lenders 
his  case  laoie  gioomv  and  ini-jL-less  ? 

A.  Ye^.;  this,  ii\e  c'-'i^'y  orher  trutli  of  God's  '.vlmla  cnansel, 
siu'ulii  be  pi.iiul^  toid.  Fur  if  we  li^oVi-  him  igsiorant,  or  te!!  hiaj 
orror  or  falsehood,  he  wtli  not  be.tlif  ber'ei-;  aud,  dying  as  he  is,  iie 
^oes  to  ruiti.  But,  \(  \'.v  ti  ach  him  ihi*.  or  any  oihrr  truh,  he  can 
at  worst,  but  imrdi.ti  tin,  ;iiid.  tiius  d  vi/ii,  'viil  be  but  the  more  iU  foi; 
coudemriation.  And,  as  Gi)d'^  truth  shf.li  not  return  unU)  iiim 
void,  but  s'liall  accomplish  ihat  whicli  he  fjl^-aies,  and  prosper  io  the 
thiiig  wht'ieurto  he  t-civ  ii;  .ind,  UnTf'tore,  !»liall  be  a  stvor  of  life 
fiUto  aie.  or  of  dt-uth  unto  deitii:  tUe.t-  ^  mi  eoiouragii^  ho,>e,  th.at. 
in  m.inv  ca^es,  Iht  Divme  spirit  \vi!  -sve  u  sriCicsr;.  And  wu-,-  b  •  to 
iiim,  who,  froin  taise  delicacy,  does  knowingly  and  \vilfully  siuiii  to 
declare  the  whole  truth. 

N.      Is  t';c'  sinner  blameworthy  f'tr  his  not  being  regeneralf;d  r 

A.  No:  for  reueneratiou  is  a"n  act  of  the  ??pirit.  And  tht  sin- 
ner 'S  neither  to  praise,  nor  to  bi^ai",  for  what  t!ie  Spirit  does,  or 
does  not,   perform. 

N.     Then,  is  h.e  to  be  blamed  fornot  being  born  iig:nn  ? 

A.  Nv-:  he  is  not  to  be  blamed.  f;vr  jujt.  being  oorn  a^ain,  any 
more  than  for  not  being  born  the  first  ci me  ;  Alr/'ongi  ii  is  a  iruth 
tliat  tids  being  born  ajain,  is  cuinii'g  into  a  right  temjjer  of  heart. 
His  blameworihiness  is  a  soiuethuigentirely  .mtecedent.  to  his  being 
born  again.  It  lies  quite  hehind  that,  and.  his  bla-neworthiness  cx^ 
jsts.  also,  before  (he  Spina's  act,  c.tiled  re<2;eneration. 

N  Well;  is  the  sinner  nut  btanievvortliy  for  not  consenting 
to  be  born  again  ? 

A.  No:  for  suppose  he  had  that  moral  temper  of  heart  that 
cons(^!ited  to  be  a  i\>  w  creature,  rhnt  itself  would  b^  a  new  heart; 
and  he  tould  not  need  the  th.ing  cai'^-d  being  boru  again;  ,ind,  to  alter 
this  ri^ht  temper,  would  be  to  put  hiuj  back  agnn  in  his  old  wicked 
tempei. 

N.  Then,  does  not  his  blanieworthiness  consist  in  needing  to 
be  tjiirn  a!j;.iio,  or  in  needing  a  new  !>part  ? 

A.  ^N^o;  it  lies  in  soosethinsi  he  Ua-i,  smt  in  what  he  needs  ta 
have,  |i  is  from  his  crime,  his  need  ari-es.  So,  dien,  his  bl.ime- 
woit''ine*3  ijs  lodged  in  something  behind  Ins  ncce&sitiesj  of  course, 
behind  ijisi  neerj  of  heine  born  again. 

N.  We  I.  a«  every  sinner  most  evidetHly  is  blanieworthy:  for 
what  is  lip  to  be  bi«ni''d  ? 

A.  The  si')nfr*s  blameworthin^-^s  does  not  con>istin  any  thing 
he  needs,  but  wh<,lly  in  wl>at  he  does,  view^'in  an  &  Iree  n>ioa(  au;ent, 
upheld  by  u  Divine  Providential  Ageucy.     All  the  exercises  of  hi* 


heart,  tliougii  tho  effects  of  a  good  cause,  are  nioraily  wroiig.  in 
his  volu(ita;-ily  wrong  exercises,  lies  his  blameworthiness  eutirelj. 
This  is  evident  from  comvn  )U  senye.  The  law  of  God  commands 
him  i6  liave  right  exercise^;  these  he  finds  not,  ami  luiwi'iingncss  i=i 
;\t  the  bottom  of  every  u!isucces3rLil  atteinpt  to  find  lliCin.  Aii;!  if 
ever  he  Will  find  one  right  exercise,  he  v/iil  own  th.at  a — p:'o(>iic:i.oii 
of  the  Divine  Spirit  iiniucdiatcly.  Now,  while  he  is.  frum  clioicc. 
shewing  a  wrong  temper  ui  heart,  ho  will  not  shew  yy  ■.uuch  of  the  right 
teinper,  as  even  honestlv  to  <is!v  tne  Divine  S^yiiit  to  work  it  in  him. 
For,  this,  very  asking,  v/oaUi  iDVf/ij  a  rjgiit  one  i/?.elf;  and  what  then 
could  he  ask  for?  Not  a  rignt  leinper^  fui.,  i!!>c  lu'tictiy  a.sk,  he 
shews  he  already  had  it.  But,  U  tie  ask  v:\-\\  a  v'f»\v  to  get,  v>h,>t  he 
knows  he  has  not,  and  does  not  evei;  w  '11!  t.)  i;  ive,  ihen,  he  is  doing 
nothing  better  tiiun  a.ki^i;:  anoth.-r  !„.  do  iV,-.  !i;i!),  that  v/idch  he 
ousht  to  have  done  himbf-l!:  and  w hirli  he  siiii,  id  choice,  ieaves  nn- 
done.  The  SKiuer's  very  a^diuig,  then,  with  an  impenitent  heart, 
for  the  Holy  -ipis;!;  to  give  him  a  penitent  heart,  is  doing  nothing  bet- 
ter, and  couVi^.g  no  iiCd  er  dury,  than  requesting  that  tremendous 
and  Holy  Agent  to  be  p'levsed  to  repent  for  him,  and  so-cxcuse  him 
from  the  disagrceabie  necesLdfy  of  doing  it  himself. 

The  t;r.:i,  i::,  :n,:r;  i.^  dependent  on  the  Divine  Spirit  for  nothing 
but  his  Ci;rl-'iun  cl::.r:;c;  tr.  from  the  moment  it  is  produced.  This? 
the  Spirti  js  u:,der  no  ;^h!igatiOfi  to  give  to  any  sinner;  nor  is  an  im- 
penitent sir] ner  ui.der  cbli-atiim  to  ask  it.  lie  is  commanded  to 
repent,  to  convert,  to  believe  und  obey  forthwith,  as  a  moral  agent? 
and,  in  that  v;ay,  to  come  to  have  it  hiimself.  And,  so  long  as  lie 
will  not,  th.ere  alone  is  his  ■;rowing  crime. 

Now,  i;]  addressing  this  free  agent,  who  is  continually  acting 
wj-ong  of  c  iilce,  and  not  (  f  necessifVj  we  are  never  at  liberty  to  tel! 
hii» — Sir,  yuu  iire  to  blame  tor  uor  iisiiig  ihe  mean^.j  for  not  laboring- 
after  impres-ive  views  itf  truth;  for  not  waiting  G-od's  tmie;  fur  not 
lying  at  tiie  pooij  for  not  asking  tiie  Spirit  to  rene.\v  you;  for  not 
consenttijg  to  i>e  born  again,  &c. 

Suiii  declarations  do  not  at  all  reach  or  touch  his  blameworthi- 
ness. For  that  is  an  obsfinate,  unrelenting  refusa!  to  meet  the 
ciaims  ot  bodi  Law  and  Gospel  on  his  heart.  We  must  demand  of 
this  nnpetiitent  heeageni  just  what  God  demands;  a.  real  Spiritual 
obedience  of  iieart;  whethrr  rhe  Divine  Spirit,  through  tlie  truth 
prrseuted,  will  work  in  hun  fo  render  it,  or  not.  Nor  are  we,  for  a 
nil)  uent,  at  liberty  ru  ease  oft'G.-d's  riijhteous  chains,  for  any  of  the 
saio^'r's  evasive  pretexts  itr  selfisii  excuses  whatever. 

Ani,  ;f  rhe  trurli  i.s  press^^d  more  and  'n  )re  on  ids  conscience, 
tTie  hope  IS ,  that  che  sword  of  the  Spirit  shall  penetrate  his  heart  dt" 


:218 

siioue,  and  siaj  him  completely.  Most  evidently,  to  an  impenitent 
heart,  all  prescribing  of  "  means  of  grace,"  instead  of  urging  lo  im- 
mediate repentance,  conversion,  and  faitli,  is  anti-apustolirii!;  and 
all  yielding  to  the  sinner's  pretence  of  inability,  is  a  tacit  giving  up 
of  the  high  claims  of  God,  and  fortifying  rebellion  with  an  excuse  for 
still  further  procrastination. 

N.  Well,  would  you  not  inculcate  prayer,  hearing  and  read- 
ing the  word  of  God,  even  while  God  ret|uires  of  all,  true  Spiritual 
obedience.  anJ  some  evidently  will  not  }ield  it.^ 

A.  Yes;  I  would  inculcate  reading,  hearing,  prating,  v.ith  an 
honest  hearr,  just  as  i  would  inculcate  repentance,  faith,  lovt',  and 
otlie;  duties,  and  in.no  other  way. 

N.  Bur,  suppose  the  unregenerate  tell  you,  I  cannot  read, 
nor  hear,  nor  pray  aright;  what  then-.'* 

A.  Wiiy,  then,  1  would  just  as  soon  say  read,  and  hear,  and 
pray,  as  ueil  as  you  can,  with  your  dishonest  heart,  seeing  jou  can-* 
not  do  any  of  tiiem  aright:  as  I  would  say  repent,  and  convert,  and 
believe,  as  well  as  you  can  willi  your  dish.onest  heart,  seeing  you 
Gannot  do  any  of  them  aright  either.  And  the  one  j'iece  of  advice 
would  be  about  as  absurd  and  fantastical  as  the  other. 

N.     Are  any  seekers,  andyet  not  finders  ^ 

\.  No,  in  no  case  have  any  been  told,  "  seek,  and  ye  shall 
not  find." 

N.  I  have  now  a  long  question  to  propose  for  solution.  If  one, 
who  has  spent  his  life  in  sin,  should  come  to  you  profeahing  to  feel 
anxious  about  his  condition,  but  not  beingajudge  of  his  own  Ciise, 
nor  able  to  give  any  metaphysically  correct  account  of  the  exercises 
of  his  heart  in  view  of  truth,  yet  candid  in  (he  statement  of  facts; 
theoj  in  such  a  case,  by  what  criterion  can  you  arrive  at  your  own 
private,  satisfactory  certainty,  as  an  examiner,  whether  he  is  or  is 
not  bornagain;  or  whether  he  has  or  has  not  passed  that  particular  es- 
ercise  of  heart  described  formerly,  which  may  be  reganiei'  as  the  great 
turning  point  of  character  and  conduct,  or  the  important  mora!  Ru- 
bicon of  mural  character.  Because,  if  he  have  passed  it,  he  is  Just 
so  far  on  th<^  path  to  heaven;  and,  if  he  have  not  passed  it,  he  is  still 
on  the  road  'o  ruin  ? 

A.  Whereas,  I  know,  of  a  ceifainty,  that  any  person  who 
feels  concern  for  himself  as  a  Siinner,  roes,  also,  f<el  thai  he  must 
reform  before  he  dies,  or  that  he  shall  };o  to  rjip;  and,  knowing  the 
following  things  to  be  facts,  fhat  he  wdl.  tlerefore,  conclude.  "I 
will  make  this  auiendmentat  least  befor-^  I  die."  And  the  more  he 
feels  concerned,  the  more  ht-  will  coiH'ude  or  determine  to  make 
this nnuefined  amendment.     Perhaps  he  does  not  know  in  what  if 


219 

ought  to  consist;  ami,  therefore,  with  hiiiu  itis  an  itjd  efinabie  ainl  im- 
{7f(ri:iiit  so>nethiiig,  which,  if  he  do  it,  he  thinks  he  shall  be  so  amend- 
ttii  Ua  to  be  prepareil  to  enter  heaven;  now,  he  tliinks  and  feels  that 
he  can  make  this  ainfMidment,  at  any  time  he  pleases,  and  that  he 
certainly  will  do  it  before  he  dies.  But  the  more  he  feels  concern- 
ed, t'le  more  nearly  he  will  draw  up  that  important  something  to  him- 
self, and  will  feel  that  it  must  be  done  the  sooner.  Yet,  feeling  all 
the  time  disposed  to  keep  off  that  something  at  as  great  a  distance  as 
he  dares  with  safety.  For  he  would  rather  do  any  other  thing,  than 
that  particular  thing  he  has  in  view,  and  which  he  feels  must  be 
done,  before  he  can  die  peacefully.  Because,  with  him  this 
important  thing  is  the  very  last  -and  most  disagreeable  resort  i 
and  he  barely  concludes  to  do,  or  undergo  it,  rather  than  lie  down 
in  ceaseless  sorrow.  And,  as  concern  increases,  he  brings  it  up 
oloserand  still  closer;  perhaps,  from  months  to  weeks,  from  weeks 
to  days  and  hours,  and  even  to  niintutes.  And  then,  when  it  comes 
so  close  that  he  even  feels,  "  I  should  do  that  important  thing  nowj 
now  or  never."  Still,  for  some  reasons,  he  will  put  it  oft"  a  little 
longer;  and  will,  perhaps,  repeat  this  course  of  conduct  often. 

Now,  knowing  these,  and  the  like  things  to  be  facts,  about  eve- 
vy  anxious  sinner,  the  great  point  of  inquiry  is  this — '•  Have  you 
yet  done  that  great  thing,  which  allalongyou  had  inviewtodo,  and 
Yet  hated  doing  so  badly  ?" 

For  this  very  particular  is  the  criterion,  by  which  I  can  arrive 
at  my  own  private  satisfactory  certainty,  whether  he  has,  or  has 
not  yet  been  born  again;  or  whether  he  has,  or  has  not  passed  the 
"turning  point,  or  moral  Rubicon  in  your  (luestion.  For  if  he  have 
done  that  particular  thing,  then  1  feel  satisfied  the  "  Rubicon"  is 
crossed;  but  if  he  have' not  yet  d.one  that  very  thing  in  particlar, 
then  I  feel  satisfied  he  has  not  yet  passed  it.  Because  it  is  no  mat- 
ter what  else  he  does,  if  this  be  yet  undone.  The  whole  drift  of 
my  enquiries  converge  on  this  point,  Is  that  particular  thing  yet 
done?  Or  is  he  still  piUting  it  oft'?  If  he  is  still  putting  it  off, 
he  knows  it,   and  cannot  be   deceived  on  that  point. 

But  if  he  say  he  has  honestly  tried,  to  do  t!\at  particular  thii>g.. 
or  that  he- has  done  it;  then,  taking  his  declar-.tion  as  that  of  truth 
and  candor,  I  feel  privately  satisfied  that  he  has  passed  the  Rubi- 
con, or  the  turning  puint  of  character  and  conduct;  though  I  may  not,, 
for  good  reasons,  tell  him  so  immediately. 

N.  N')w,  suppose  tins  anxious  enquirer  reply,  just  in  this 
plrce, — "I  do  not  know  whether  I  have  done  that  thing,  or  not; 
but  I  this  do  kaow,  I  have  honestly  tried  to  do  it.  Yet  things  did 
not  take  place  witii  me  as  I  expected,  afterwards."  And  on  this 
account*  he  feels  much  doubt  and  uncertainty. 


22(^ 

A.  Ifehoiiiil  like  such  ati  answer  even  iiuicli  betler  than  a 
positive  a^-iivaiKP,  t'lar  he  hid  cioue  die  very  tiling  in  par'icular. 

Ai  Bi^rmme  I  know  that  if  he  do  that  vei  v  ihino;,  he  vail  feel 
disapp'inted;  thi?'ig^  will  nut  Ton:  up  as  he  expHCteci.  i\:v  it.  v.ould 
be  S'rarige.  that  an  impenitent  should  know  beforehand,  how  a  pt^n- 
itent  would  art  and  tee.l. 

N.  Is  it  likely  that  such  an  one,  at  (his  time,  just  afior  he 
hi*  done  tlsaf  particular  thing,  will  feel  that  he  has  an)  Christiani- 
ty? 

A.  No;  for  things  nottakins;  place  with  him  acccirding  to 
his  former  especiation*,  his  feelings  of  dis;ippuint merit,  with  more 
huinili.iling  views  of  himself  on  acoiuut  of  his  cmnes.  may  \nake 
him  feel  as  if  he  were  a  vviwse  sintier,  and  further  from  being  a 
Christian,  than  he  ever  thought  he  was  before.  In  this  state  of 
feeling,  he  may  eventhitik  that  he  is  honestly  trying  to  be  the  Chris- 
tian, and  actually  cannot. 

N.  Should  you  find  one  eviuently  in  these  circumstances, 
what  instructions  would  jougive? 

A.  I  would  not  say  repent,  as  the  very  first  thing;  for  my 
private  belief,  in  such  a  case,  would  be  that  he  had  repented. 

I  would  teli  him,  perhaps  the  thing  you  are  honestly  trying  to 
do,  and  cannot,  is  that  which  you  are  not  commanded  to  do,  or  to 
iiave.  You  are  not  required  to  be  or  to  do,  that  which,  with  an  hon- 
est heart,  you  cannot.^ 

I  would  then  point,  out^  duties,  and  encourage  him  to  perform 
them  honestly  and  f;dihfully,  let  future  consequences  be  what  they 
iv.&y . 

N.  Suppose  you  meetor.o,  v/!io,  be^(Jr^  you  think  he  has  passed 
the  above  mentioned  Rubicon,  says,  he  is  anxious  to  be  the  Chris- 
tian, but  cannot;  how  advise    him? 

A.  I  would  reply,  Are  you  anxious.^  Tiu-!:.  is  theie  not  in 
yciur  mind  a  somelhitig  before  you,  which  you  feci 'must  be  done, 
and  which  you  intend  doing  certainly  before  death  .'^  but  are.,  for  the 
present,  putting  it  oil"?  If  he  sj^v  there  is  ;  then  go  on  and  do 
that  thing  whicli  you  can  do,  but  you  know  you  choose  not  tQ  do  for  the 
present.  Ar;d  do  not  say,  "i  c;ini!ot,"  till  that  thing  is  do,ue. 
Havitigdonc  that  Th.in;.:.  I  will  give  you  further  iiisiructions,  if  afjer- 
wards,  you  stiii  iiiui  \ou  cannot  be  the  Christian. 

N.  But  sujipoie  he  teli  you  that  he  h.'is  not  felt  any  such  thinL!;. 
alieaJ,  v^'aicli  he  intends  doiug;  and  tint  he  wants  now  t.)  be,  but 
:tinnot  be  the  Chrlsiiaii.  „ , ,.  ,-^ 

i\«.     I  vi!!  rc^-.ly,  if  yoi!  !iave  fult,  and  now   feel,  rtosuch  lliinv: 


221 

ahead,  uo  purpose  of  s«U'-amendinent  ;  none  uear  at  liand,  noi 
even  afar  otf ;  it  is  certain  that  you  are  not  much  concerned  about 
being  the  Christian,  at  least  for  the  present.  And  as  you  have  not 
fried  to  bu  one,  you  ought  not  to  say  you  cannot,  till  you  have  first 
given  the  thing  a  fair  trial, 

BAPTISM. 

N.  You  have  said,  that  circumcision  was  the  seal  of  the  Cove 
na.t  of  Grace,  from  Abraham,  down  to  the  end  of  the  Jewish  dis- 
pensation; and  that  baptism  is  the  seal  of  the  same  covenant,  un- 
der the  Christian  dispensation.  And  now  I  would  like  to  hear 
something  said  of  the  subjects,  the  use,  and  the  mode  of  baptism. 
To  who!ii  is  baptism  to  be  applied? 

A.  As  circumcision  was  applied  to  believers,  and  their  male 
household;  so  baptism  is  to  be  applied  to  believers,  and  their  whol6 
household  male  and  femile,  whether  Jews  or  Gentiles.  See  Acts' 
2,  38,  39.  ^'Repent,  and  be  baptised  every  one  of  you,  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ,  fjr  the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the  gif{ 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  for  the  promise  is  unto  you,  and  to  your  child- 
dren,  and  to  ail  that  are  afarotf,  even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God 
shall  call."  Thisaddr.rss  was  mide  expressly,  (as  rnay  be  seen  ia 
the  same  chapter,)  to  the  people  of  Israel,  with  reference  to  the- 
promise,  which  had  been  made  to  themselves,  and  to  their  children^ 
from  Abraham  down  through  all  generations:  and  this  promise  was 
not  made  to  [srael  only,  but  to  the  Gentiles,  also,  who  were  afar  oft'j 
even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shiill  call;  thatis,as  many  as  shall 
become  believers,  and  their  children,  to  the  end  of  the  world.. 

Here  we  see  nothing  changed  in  that  promise  or  covenent. 
The  promise  is  made  to  people  of  the  same  character,  and  the  same 
things  or  blessings  are  promised.  TJie  only  thing  changed,  is  the 
seal  of  the  covenant,  or  of  the  promise  in  that  covenant,  which  is 
baptism  adopted  in  the  place  of  circuiiicision,  which  had  been  the 
seal  of  the  same  covenant,  or  promise.  Tiiis  circumcision  co.ntinu- 
ed  the  seal  of  the  covenant  until  Christ's  death,  which  ended  the 
Jewish  dispensation.  And  tlie  Christian  bvptisim  ■A'as  institured,  by 
Christ,  at  his  resurrection,  as  the  seil  of  the  saae  covenant,  or  pro- 
mise. And  none  of  the  divers  washings,  or  baptrsms,  that  were  in  use 
before  the  death  of  Christ,  were  the  Christian  baptism,  as  shall  be 
shewn  hereafter. 

In  pursuance  of  Christ's  commission,  given  at  his  resurrection, 
Matth.   28,19 — To  "  go,  and   teach  all  natmns,  baptizi.-io;  Hiem   in 
^he  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Huly  Ghost,  the  Apostle  addresijed 
S2 


222 

luepeopliof  I.->r;icl,  uud  said,  ''ilepcnt,  aiul  b«  b;ipnz,cti  everj  one 
of  you,  (ivicaning  men  and  women,)  for  the  promise  is  UDto  vou 
and  to  vour  chiicircn;  and  to  all  t!iat  are  af.ir  oi}',''  (meaning  the  Gen- 
tiles, and  thtir  cliildfL-n.)  cvt^n  as  many  as  tiie  Loid  our  (jod  sliall 
call,  (or  siiall  become  believers.)  Wiief.efore,  Philip  baptized 
the  Samaritans,  both  men  and  Avoinen,  when  they  bcdieved.  Acts  8, 
1 2.  Although  they  had  no  dealings  with  the  Jews;  for  thej  were 
io  baptize  ail  na'.ions. 

As  Abraham  received  circumcision,  a  seal  of  the  rigl\te.>i!siii^ss  o{' 
the  faith.  Rom.  -1,  11.  So,  now,  o^ews  and  Gentiles  are  to  receive 
baptism,  when  they  become  believers.  Acts  8,.  12.  'Ai,a<  tlic 
Jewish  males,  that  were  not  circumcised,  were  cut  oil'  from  their 
people,  or  church.  Gen.  17,  14.  So,  under  the  Christian  di^pen- 
sation,  "except  a  man  be  born  of  uatt-r,"  baptized,  and  of  the 
spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  tlie  Kingdom  of  God,  or  Christian 
church. — John  3,  5.  It  is,  therefore,  to  me  certain,  that  circumci- 
sion was  done  away  at  the  death  of  Ciirist:  and  that,  after  his  resur- 
rection, baptism  was  instituted  in  the  place  of  circumcision,  as  the 
seal  of  the  same  covenant;  for  it  answers  the  same  purposes,  while  the 
parties  in  the  covenant  remain  the  very  same,  under  the  Gl'ris>tian 
dispensation,  with  the  burdens  relieved:  but  the  privileges  increased- 
And  we  have  never  been  forbid  to  apply  b.iptism  to  the  same  subjects. 
to  whom  circumcision  was  applied;  that  was  to  males,  and  their 
male  household:  the  children  at  the  8th  day  old.  Gen.  IT,  iH,  14. 
But  we  have  been  directed  to  extend  it  to  females,  for  they  were 
baptized  both  men  and  women,  when  they  believed.  Acts  8,  1£. 
And  the  promise  is  unto  them,  a!u!  to  their  children,  whether  Jews 
or  Gentiles.  VVheretore,  as  Abraham  and  his  household,  were  cir- 
cumcised. Gen.  17,  23,  27.  So  Lydia,  and  her  household, 
were  baptized.  See  Acts  l6.  14,  15.  And  also  the  jailor  was 
baptized,  and  all  his,  strightw^y.  Acts  16.  13.  Therefore,  it  is" 
clear,  that  as  Jewish  parents  were  to  have  their  male  children  cir- 
Cu-ucised;  so  Ch.-istiaa  parents  are  to  have  their  children  baptized, 
whether  male  or  female. 

N.  W'lAt  is  tiie  use  and  design  of  baptism;  and,  particularly 
what  good  does  It  do  to  children? 

A.  As  Paul  says,  circumcision  is  nothing,  and  uncircumcision 
i^  nothing,  Dut  keeping  the  commandment  of- God;  and  so  I  answer  of 
baptism;  it  is  noihins;,  in  and  by  itself.  But  keeping  the  command- 
juents  ot  God  is  soaiething,  wituout  which  no  one  can  be  a  Chris' 
|ian. 

Baptism  is,  novv,  the  seal  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace.  (See  co- 
veaant  grace.)      Tae  seal  is  a  conftrniatiun  of  the  covenant*    And. 


->?;• 


••  ihouii'i  itij'j  but  a  uian's  c:)vcnant-,  yet,  \i  it  be  cantirnicii,  no  in:,i. 
.JisannaUciU  oraddcth  thofoto." — Grat.  3,  1.5  —  17.  This  is  the  co- 
veii'int  that  securcvl  to  Abraham  that  blesseti  promise,  "  that,  in 
hi-^  seoJ.  all  naticcis  should  be;  blessed  ,;  si,  they  {hat  are  ot' 
faith,  are  bies»ed  with  faithful  Abraham."  "And  thi^,  1  t-av, 
t'iiit  the  covenant,  that  \Yas  confirmed  before  of  God  in  Cljrist,  the 
lacv,  whicli  was  fo«r  hundred  and  thirty  years  after,  cannot  disar. 
Hill,  tiiat  it  sliould  malce  the  promise  of  none  effect."  Gal.  S,  fi — ir. 

Now,  it  is  thoug'it'  io  be  highly  expedient,  that  the  blessings 
proaiised,  should  be  secured  by  a  covenant,  con  firm -nd.  But,  fur- 
t'ler,  every  believer  is  a  parly  in  this  covcnantj  and  the  covenant  is 
not  forraally  confirmed,  until  it  is  sealed.  And  tiic  believer  agrees 
to  ke«p  the  coniinandmeTits  of  God;  and  one  of  tl.e  coinmands  of 
Goit,  to  the  believer,  is,  to  h.ave  the  sea!  of  the  covonant,  which  is 
baptism,  applied  to  himself,  if  it  has  not  been  done  before,  and  to 
his  children  or  household.  It  is,  therefore,  a  pksin  perversion  of 
the  ordinance  ef  baptism,  to  f^pp!y  baptism  to  an  unbeliever,  oV 
to  his  children;  for  he  never  agreed  to  keep  the  covenant,  in  any  de- 
gree wiiatever,  either  w'th  regard  to  hiiuselfor  his  children.  Where- 
fore, "unto  the  wicked,  God  saith,  What  hast  thou  to  do  to  de- 
clare my.  statutes,  or  that  thou  shouldcst  take  ray  covenant  in  thy 
moutii?  seeing  thou  hatest  instruction,  and  casteth  my  words  behind 
thee.'' — Psalms  50,  16,  \7.  But  the  believer  may  be  doing  his  duty 
as  a  Christian,  and  so  far  keeping  the  cotnmanda  of  God,  in  being 
baptized  hiinself,  and  in  having  his  children  baptized.  For  he  is 
commanded  to  apply  the  seal  of  the  covenant, 

x-\.  <d,  as  it  respects  the  children,  it  is  sealing  the  covenant,  in 
which  the  believing  parents  promise  lo  tram  up  the  child  in  the  way 
in  which  it  should  go,  in  the  nuiture  and  admonitiuu  of  the  Lord,  ia 
the  knowledge  of  Divine  trurh,  faitlifuily  and  diligently,  by  precept, 
exanjple,  and  the  rod  of  correciion.  And,  in  the  same  covenant^ 
God,  on  his  part,  promises,  that,  when  the  child  is  old,  it  shall  not 
depart  froui  that  right  way  in  which  it  has  been  trained  up.  For  he 
will  be  a  God  to  th^  par-nt  and  to  the  cuild;  and  will  circuuicise 
the  heat  t  id'  the  pariiut,  and  ;;.e  heart  uf  the  child,  to  love  the  Loid 
their  God  withall  ihe.ir  I.eart,  that  Wiey  may  live.  Now,  it  mu'st  be 
of  very  great  use  and  anvantage  to  the  chiid,  lo  make,  seal,  and  keep 
a  covenant,  which  secures  votiie  chdd  ?uch  great  blessings.  4nd 
it  is  believed  tiiat  none  will  object  to  it,  except  such  as  are  unwil- 
ling to  do  their  duty. 

N.      Has  toe  child  a  right,  ro  be  bapiised  ? 

A.  It  is  the  parent's  rig-ht  3lu<\  duty  ko  iiavethe  child  baptized, 
and. train  it  up.     And  God  has  promised  the  ijelieving  parent  that 


2i^4 

he  will  bless  t.iie  ctiiid  :  bathe  haa  made  nu  promise  \o  the  child, 
of  any  goo"!  tiling  whatever,  wliile  it  reinains  unreHesved.  Baptism 
does  the  child  just  as  much  ;:^ood  as  it  does  the  parent,  and  no  more. 
As  a  seal,  it  i-3  a  confirmation  oT  the  covenant;  and,  as  a  sign,  it  re- 
presents the  baptism,  or  circumcision  of  the  heart.  In  the  case  of 
the  child,  it  represents  that,  in  the  covenant,  God  has  promised  and 
a^Tjreed  that  he  will  renew  its  heart,  according  to  the  covenant.  Al- 
so, baptism  is  the  riie.  by  which  any  one  is  admitted  into  the 
Chrhlian  Church.  Jo'ui  3,  5.  As  circumcision  was  the  rile^  by 
which  they  were  admitted  into  the  Jewish  Church.  And,  baptism 
being;  applied  to  the  believer,  he  is  a<imitted  into  the  church.  And:^ 
bt;irg  applied  to  the  child,  it  is  admitted  into  the  church,  on  the 
promi-.e  oi"  G^d  to  renew  its  heart;  and  it  is  to  be  treated,  so  far  as 
circiuTintances  wdl  admit,  as  if  its  heart  were  already  renewed,  un- 
til it  shall  give  evidence,  by  its  conduct,  that  its  heart  is  not  renew- 
etJ.     S  e  Hovnans  4,   I  6,   17. 

N.  H  the  child  shall  not  be  renewed,  is  not  the  covenant 
broken  .'' 

A.  Yes,  in  the  case  of  the  child.  Although  the  believing  pa- 
rent himself  shall  be  pariloned  and  saved  on  Christ's  account;  yet  the 
everlasting  covenant  is  broken,  by  the  parent,  in  reference  to  the 
child,  when  the  parent  neglects  to  dedicate  his  child  to  God,  in 
faith  and  prayer,  and  to  train  it  up*  according  to  the  covenant :  and 
then  God  is  not  bound  by  his  promise,  made  to  the  parent,  to  renew 
the  heart  of  the  child. — !s-aiah  24,  5. 

Wherefore,  parents  should  be  kept  in  remembrance,  that  their 
hearts  should  be  constantly  and  faif'ofully  turned  to  their  chil- 
dren, to  dedicate  them  to  God,  in  true  (aith  and  prater,  and  to  train 
thcTuup  in  all  the  counsels  of  God  correctly;  that  Go<l  may  turn  the 
hearts  of  the  children  to  tiieir  parents,  to  learn  truth  and  practise 
rigiiteousness,  and  honor  God,  and  rejoice  the  hearts  of  their  pareniSj 
until  the  knowledge  of  God  shall  cover  the  whole  earth.     Mai.  4,  6, 

N.  What  evidence  have  jou,  that  children  were  admitted  in- 
to  the  Jewish  church,  by  circumcision  ? 

A.  To  me,  tnere  is  aii  abundance  of  evidence.  But  this  one 
lact  might  suffice — "  Jesus  saith.  sutfer  iitile  children  to  come  unto 
me,  and  forbid  them  not,  for  of  su-.-ii  \n  tiie  kingdom  of  heaven.''' 
Matth.  19,13,  14.  Mark  10,  i4.  Luk.'  18,  l6.  This  f.>ok  place, 
before  Christ's  death  ended  the  Jewisn  dispensation,  whd«  Hp  and 
and  his  Apostles  were  confined  to  t  ^e  lost  sii'^eo  of  the  house  of  Is- 
rael, and  before  they  turned  to  the  Gentiles.  H.'  must,  ihereforei 
have  been  speaking  to  Je^^isii  pa  eiifs.  .tb.';:t  Jewi>  ,  ^h>'dien,  that 
ttad  been  admitted  into  the  Jewish  churcii^  by  circuiautiiOB  at  the> 


225 

eighth  day'uUi,  \-;.';!i  cluircb  was  ca!l(-'d  the  kingdnm  oi'  henvou 

jV.  Whai  rvih-icf  is  tluM'e,  th^t  tho  Churc!*  is  culled  the 
ICi/i;^il-nn  (if  G-:)il,  arul  ihs^  K!'<:;d()m -if  il>';ivpn. 

\.  'VUr  Ki'i;i(!>r.i  of  G:)''  a-vi  fh^  Kjp  r^l'i'V;  of  TlPiVin,  ;;!\i 
catipared  to  a  <2;i-ai  i  nf"  ;riii>?t;)r;i  seed,  atid  fo  Ipuven.  —  Vlark  4.  SO, 
Jl.  Mafth.  1-5,  31,  .)3.  Tiis  repicsents  thii  Ciuircl!,  b'jf  not  the 
Kingilom  of  Glory  ;d)':.ve. 

:N.      Is  there  aviv    evidence   th if  children  were   taken   into  ika 
Chris! ian  Church,  by  the  Apnstl<>.'>? 

A.  Yes,  there  is  soine.  Pan'  ndd'-esspd  hi=;  ppi^-Me  to  the. 
Church,  or  Snnts  at-  I'jji'v.sijs,  p.trl  lie  in-'ni-n-;  r.i.i' !i-'>n  ainong 
thetn.— See  Eph.  1,    1,   and  6.    1.      AUu.  C  .! .  1.   2,  an!  3,  ^20. 

N.  Ifonlvone  of  the  na-enta  is  a  believer,  has  that  one  a  ri^ht 
to  have  the  childr-.n  baptist^d  ? 

A.  Yes;  that  one  h  a  p.irty  iii  the  covi^nant  ofgrace,  and  is  as 
aiuch  bound,  and  has  as  innoli  i!.;!v  f^o  have  the  children  baptised, 
and  to  train  thera  up,  as  ifbotii  svere  believers.  The  unbeliever,  is 
sancfiQed  by,  or  to,  the  believer;  else  were  their  children  unclean; 
..;kit  now  are  they  holy.  —  I  Cor.  T,  14.  Mil.  2,  15.  It  is  lawful 
'for  the  believer  io  live  with  the  unbeliever,  else  their  children  would 
be  unlawful,  or  ceremonially  unclean,  but  now  they  are  tavvful,  op 
cereinofiialiy  holy,  or  cc.in;  in  thesame  sense,  that  they  wooid  be 
clean,  if  both  parents  were  believers.  This  does  not  mean  h<diness 
of  heart  in  either  case;  but  it  shews  that  one  believing  parent  and  the 
cliddren  are  under  the  same  church  regulations,  that  both  believing 
parents  and  theirchildren  are  under.  That  is,  the  children  are  ce- 
rft'nonially  clean,  or  holy;  and  God  provnises  the  believinsj  parents, 
tr.at  he  will  vinnw  tiie  hearts  of  the  children,  and  inake  them  really 
holy,  according  to  the  covenant,  as  stated  before.  VVherefore,  the 
children  may  be  baptized,  and  ad^nitted  into  the  church,  as  if  it  vi'as 
now  done,  until  tliey  shew,  by  their  conduct,  that  it  is  not  done;  as 
was  said  bei'<)re.  Ov-  i:i  other  words,  the  oTicers  of  the  chuich 
are  to  take  it  for  gi:a;atcd,  that  it  is  novv^  done,  until  they  shew,  by 
their  conduct,  that  it  is  not  done. 

N.  You  Si'.d,  so;n-ilaje  past,- that  none  of  the  divers  ba»)tisn)g, 
that  were  io  use  bei  -.-i  th?  dd,ith  of  Cliri^t,  was  tlic  Ciirisliau  b3[)- 
(ism.     What  were  t';tj"  l;;^;-!  ? 

A.  Tiiejwere  t'lie  divers  v\":ishings,  (or  baptisms,  as  it  shiiuld 
'live  bean  translated.)  under  the  Jewish  dispensation,  imposed  on 
i.heai,  until  the  ti;ne  of  reformation;  as  Paul  says — See  Hcbrev/2, 
9;  .10. 

N.     Was  not  Joliu's  b:!nii2rn  from  heaven  .- 


226 

A.  Ye=;  like  the  ofher  Jewish  ordinances;  wiiich  wore  (o  'b^> 
doneavvay    ar  Christ's  death. — See  Hcb.  9 — 1    iO. 

N.  W;is  John  the  Baptist's  baptism  of  Christ,  and  his  bap- 
tism of  his  disciples,  the  same  baptism  ? 

A.  No.  John's  baptism  of  his  disciples,  is  called  the  baptism 
of  repentance.  John's  disciples  received  his  baptism,  as  a  public 
ceremonial  profession  of  repentance.  But  Christ  never  received 
baptism  in  that  sense.  He  never  sinned,  nor  repented  for  having 
sinned. 

N.      Why,  then,  was  Christ  baptized  by  John? 

A.  A  J'^vish  washing,  or  baptism,  represented  the  person  as 
being  ceremonially  clean.  And  Christ  wa*  to  be  a  High  Priest  for- 
ever, after  the  order  of  Mdchisedicjand  was  to  begin,  and  perform 
his  ministry,  in  this  .vorld,  under  he  Jewish  dispensation,  and  his 
death  was  to  end  that  dispensation.  And,  alt''0Ui;;h  he  was  not  a  Le- 
vite,  nor  a  Levitical  Priest;  for  he  was  of  the  tribe  of  Judah;  yet  he 
was  a  minister  of  the  circumcision,  or  a  Jewish  minister.  "  Now^ 
I  say,  that  Jesus  Christ  was  a  minister  of  the  circumcision  for  the 
truth  of  God,  to  confirm  the  promises  made  unto  the  fathers. — See 
Rom.  15,   8. 

It  was,  therefore,  expedient  that  he  should  be  known  to  be  cere- 
monially clean,  and  that  his  consecration  to  his  priesthood  should 
be  as  near  like  the  Levitical  consecration,  as  the  nature  of  the  case 
would   admit. 

But,  when  Moses  went  to  consecrate  Aaron,  and  his  sons,  to  the 
priesthood,  he  first  washed  them  with  water,  or  baptizetl  then-^  ; 
then  he  put  on  their  priestly  garments;  and,  then,  he  putthe  annoint- 
ing  oil  upon  their  heads. — See  Levit.  8,  6 — 10. 

So,  when  Christ  was  to  be  consecrated  to  his  priesthood,  after 
the  onler  of  Melchised>^c,  he  came  to  John  the  Baptist,  to  be.  washed 
with  water,  or  baptized,  to  fulfil  all  the  righteousness  of  the  law, 
and  shew  that  he  was  ceremonially  clean.  And,  when  he  came  up 
out  of  the  water,  the  Spirit  of  God,  like  a  dove,  descended,  and 
lighted  upon  him.  Aud,  at  ;h;it  time,  he  was  annointed  with  the  oil 
of^bidneiS,  above  Iut.  fellows,  ur  other  priests.  This  annointing 
with  the  oil  -if  gladness,  by  t'le  Holy  Spirit,  was  reprehenicd  by  tlie 
annoiutmg  oil  that  Mo^es  pui  upon  the  heails  of  Aaron  and  his 
sons. 

This  anointing  of  the  Son  of  God,  to  his  priesihood,  had  been 
long  foretold  by  Isaiah,  in  ins  Gist  chapter  and  ist  ■verse — '•  I'he 
Spirit  of  the  Loid  God  i»  upon  me;  because  the  Lord  hath  annoint- 
ed  me  to  preach  gond  tidings  to  the  meek  :  lie  iiaih  sent  me  to  bind 
HO  the  broken-hearted,  to  proclaim  hboriy  to  ihe  captives,  and  the 


227 

opening  of  the  prison  to  ihera  thtit  are  bouad."  And,  direcily  uUci 
tjiiiist  vv.»s  tiapiised,  or  consecrated  to  minisit-j,  he  road  tins  place 
in  [saiaii,  aad  apjjlied  it  to  his  own  case. — See  Luke  4,  18 — £1.  it 
is  smprisiiig  to  ne,  that  ever  any  one  shoulo  think  that  John  bap- 
tized Christ  with  the  Christian  baptisui;  or  that  it  should  ever  be 
th')'jy;ht  any  other  t'lmg  than  a  part  of  his  consecration  to  his  iainis- 
try:  mat  pdit  vvhicU  siiewed  to  ilie  peopie  that  he  was  cereaionialiy 
clean.  For,  it  is  evident,  that,  by  John's  bspfisra,  and  the  anrioint- 
ingvviih  the  Oil  of  gladness,  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  he  was  con^ieciated 
for  ever;n.H"e,  to  his  iiigh  priesthood,  after  tlie  order  of  Meichisedec, 
See  deb.   1,9.      Fsai.  45,  6,  7.     Heb.  7,  27,  28,      Acts  10,  38. 

N.  ^V'.'iereas,  Christ  was  not  a  Levite,  nor  u  jLev.u;cal  Priest 
but  was  of  tiie  tribe  oi  Judah,  ''of  which  tribe  Moses  spake  tio- 
thing  cnacerniii^  j.irit-stlioodj"  and,  as  it  was  not  the  la-v,  but  tlic 
word  of  tiie  oath,  th.tt  wms  since  the  lav/,  tha  maketii  the  iio:i  lii^h 
Pnes^;  ;tow  en  ild  any  part  of  the  rightcousnesij  of  the  lawbei'iii- 
filled  by  an>  part  of  his  consecralio!!. 

\.  Tbore  was  no  law  fuiiiUed  by  his  consecration;  but  his  bap- 
itsm  fulfilled  tiiC  Jewish  hiw  (d' cereinoiiifd  cleanness,  by  shewing 
that  tie  was  i-lean,  or  '•  nndefile-.l,"  'dioly,"  "  harmless,"  "and  se- 
parate from  dinners.''  Am'  John  meant  ir  for  t'is  :  but  God  made 
it  3  part  of  his  consecration  to  his  prieslluiud.  So  it  answered  both 
purposes. 

This  law  ofcerenioriial  cleanness,  had  been  very  much  neglect- 
ed, except  in  cases  of  particular  defiit'inent;  and  had  been  badly 
perverted,  as  shall  be  shewn  hrireatter,  in  another  place. 

N.  Now,  give  some  e'.  idcufe  ttiat  John's  bHpiisui  of  iiis  diaci' 
pies,  was  not  the  Christian  baptism. 

A.  John  the  Baptist  was  a  Leyite,  and  a  descendant  of  Aaron 
the  High  Priest,  bosh  by  his  motiier  uni  fatter,  an^l  he  was  a 
Levitical  Priest,  and  the  son  of  Zacharias,  who  was  also  a  Lev  tical 
priest. — See  Luke  I,  l—  13,  and  3,  2,  3,  For  tlie  sms  of  Aaron 
were  divided  into  twenty  four  courses. — See  1  Cron.  24.  And 
Zacherias  was  a  priest  of  1  he  course  of  Aoia.  v\hicu  is  the  sameas 
Auijah,  wiiich  was  the  eiglith  course. — See  Luke  1,  5,  :i.iid  2  Chron. 
24,  10.  And  John  appears  to  have  b^-en  a  priest  of  (he  same  coarse. 
Acts  13,  25.  For  every  one  of  tiie  mate  descendants  of  Aarou  was 
a  priest,  according  to  the  ancient  appointment  (tf  God,  throug  <>ut 
their  generation. — Ex.  40,  15.  But,  it  an-i  one,  througnout  their 
generation,  had  a  blemish,  he  was  not  all«iwed  to  officiate  in  his  of- 
fice.— See  Levit.  21 . 

Rut  John  the  Baptist  was  a  regular  i^evitiral  priest  of  the  course 
of  Abia  or  Abijah,to  which  coarse  he  properly  belonged,  according 


2^8 

to  tiie  (ji'visior.  oicourjesby  David.  See  1  Shrun.  xl4.  Bat 'lie  ^Vas 
nut  «iiatwe  cull  a  Cluistian  iniuister.  A  Christian  minister  is  one 
that  was  appointed  b}  C is iist  after  his  resiuTcction,  logo  and  to  tpacb. 
a!,  nations.  Even  ths  twelve  Apostles,  whom  Christ  sent  ctit. 
while  he  \v.jS  in  the  vvorM,  or  b.'fore  hi^  death,  were  confined  to  the 
io^f  -iieep  o}  ihv'  hoiiso  oi  Nrai-l;ai)d  vwre  bound  to  teatli  vhat  the 
L.av  and  Pr<»|'hets  h^d  said  ui'(  hi ibt,  and  to  obstrve  the  law  .'•.Irictly 
as  Jew:i.  AniJ  uerenot,  strictiv  »^-.eakiii^,  Christian  ministers  until 
alter  hia  d.  ani,  wiu>n  they  were  sent  t;j  idl  nations.  ]5ut  John  the 
Bi)ui>t  was  not  sent  'ly  Christ  av  ail — S-. ':  Ji.hn  1,-3S — alter  he  catne 
in;u  tiic  woiii.i,  inu  J.il\ii  aasiiii-  fctei  uf.r.er  otClii  ist.  ujid  v.asfent 
bv  dse  same  .;U(ho!iry  ti.at  scut  M^'spfe  ami  Aaron,  and  all  the  I'ro- 
phens  and  i*.  it^^T.-s  oJ  !sr;.r!.  Joliu  died  dui  ctly  after  he  baptized 
Ciiri-t,  \v:uch  wa-^'.diiu;  time  .isid  a  hsii  year;-;  l>elore  Chiibt's 
deatii  ended  ilie  Je>vi>'t  ^iirfpijusation;  a'ld,  consr-fjiK-ntiy,  John  did 
not  live  to  see  tneCoriSiian  di&pi.MiS.«t!i»f!.  ■■.ur  to  practice  the  Ch:i5' 
tian  bnpti,S!ii.      >Vhere(ore,  sr*  ny  that  ii '  •.  li  by  John,  were 

baptized  alt-rwards  with  the  Chi*i>*t Din  iv;  j/ii^n%  rioe  Acts  i9,  2 — 3. 
Tht'se  people,  who  werebaptszed  "■  ni'.to  John's  bapiisii),''  had  not 
so  ai'jch  "  as  r.earrl  vvhtdjer  th.ere  l3o  iin;y  Holy  Uhnst. ''  But,  if 
they  had  been  b.iplizi-dvvith  the  Chri^^tiau  iiapiism,  they  .luiioi  have 
heard  of  the  lioSy  Giiost;  for  they  snust  have  been  .baptized  in  the 
naiue  of  the  Fatlser,  i5on,  and  Holy  lihoj-i..  ^^c  Matihew  28,  19. 
Johii's  b;;pti«ni,  iherefore,  was  not  the  Christian  bipiifem. 

And,  aleo,  Apoltos  appears  to  have  been  a  Jew.,  well  instructed 
in  !he\vay  of  the  Ijord,  according  to  the  Old  Te&taiiicnt  Scriptures, 
'' knowing  only  (he  bapiis-U)  of  Jo!)n."  See  Acts  lb,  24,  25.  V,  hicli 
Beems  to  r^'preseiii  thai  he  did  noi:  know  any  thing  of  the  ChrisUan 
baptism  ;  and,  1  apprehend,  that  this  was  one  of  tlie  pidi.tSj 
that   was  expc.unded  to  him   ••  niore  periectly."     See  Acts  IB,  2G. 

It  ouiih;  to  be  uiidei't.ood  th:i'  cin:umci?ion  was  not  done  away 
until  the  death  ol  Chrit-t  ended  the  jsvvi-.h  dispensidion,  aiul  wai^the 
sea!  ol  (lie  coNcnant  until  hi?  dead);  and  ivas  the  rite  by  which  tluy 
weie  adioittcd  into  ti-.  Jewish  Cf  >ci..  And  that  J  oh  rt's  baptism 
was  in  use  at  the  sanie  tine  while  « ;Kun!ci>«ion  was  the  sea'  <d  tl  e 
covenant;  and  that  John's  bapii^nl  v.as  not  the  seal  nt  the  tuvenant, 
nor  the  rijiht  by  which  tiiey  were  udirdtted  into  the  Jewish  «  hurch: 
and,  c»in3e(juerivly,  Jolin's  baptism  did  not  come  in  the  place  of 
circun  ci.iion,  nor  set  it  aside.  And,  therefore,  both  were  \r  use  at 
tie  same  time,  and  both  were  Jewish  ctienu-nies  tonii'ied  to  the 
Jt'uisii  nation;  jiid  were  nor  Christian  rires  at  all,  which  areexei'd- 
ed  to  ail  na'ion*;  and  that  'they  both  ended  tog.ether,  or  tf<  d!.t>  of 
practicing  either  ol  them^  ceased  at  the  end  of  the  Jewish  dispensA- 


^22^ 

UGii.  Taking  all  thefte  -hiogs  togetlior.  I  fee!  ("ul!j  convinced  that 
John's  baptism  was  not  the  Christian  bipTi^.n:  '.it  Ihat  it  \v;i3  one  of 
the  divers  washing-?,  (orb-.^ptisms,  as  it:  should  iiave  been  translated,) 
and  that  circumcision  was  one  of  the  carnal  (.rdinanc:?s  imposed  on 
:"^ica!,    '•  until  the  time  of  rerurmation."     See  iieb.  9,  10—1  I. 

And,  also,  the  baptism,  practised  by  the  discip'.es  of  Christ,  was 
<*f  the  same  nature:  and  was  tlonc  away  at  the  same  time.  See 
John  4,  2. 

But  the  Christian  baptism  was  instituted  bj  Christ,  at  or  after 
ais  resurrection,  and  was  extpndi^d  to  all  naiiuns.  S^^e  Mat'.h.  s!8, 
19.  An.l  it  was  instituted  in  the  place  of  circumcision,  as  the  sign 
and  sealof  the  same  covena::t:  for  it  answers  the  same  parpo^jes  un- 
d'-T  the  Christian  dispensation,  tli..it  circamcision  did,  under  the  Jew- 
ish dispensation,  as  was  shewn  before. 

N.  Why  might  not  John's  baptism  have  been  continued  on  as 
tiie  Christian  baptism? 

A.  That  would  suppose,  tliat  John's  baptism  and  th.e  Chris- 
tian baptism,  are  the  same  thin^:  which  i  have  before  proved  was  not 
30.  Or  else,  it  would  suppose  that  one  t'iifig  mi^h.t  be  rb.anged  into 
another  tiling,  and  stili  continue  to  be  the  same  thing  it  was  before  it 
was  ciianged:  which  is  a  double  absurdity.  For  it  is  supposing  one 
absurdity,  if  we  suppose  one  tiling  to  be  changed  into  another  thing; 
and  it  is  another  absurdity,  to  suppoge  it  to  continue  the  same  thing 
after  the  change,  that  it  was   befure  ihe  chmge. 

It  is  true,  that  one  thing  may  answer  two  or  more  purposes:  as 
circumcision,  wnich  was  a  sign  of  the  circumcision  of  the  heart,  and 
a  seal  of  the  covenant  of  iirace.      But"  circumcision   was   one   thing, 
and  John's  baptism  was  another  thing;  they  were  two  things  that  ex- 
isted at  tl>e  same    time.     Auy  tiving  must  be  what  it  is,  or  else   it 
must  cease  to  exist  at  all,     ButJohn's  baptism  was  the  baptism  of 
repentance,  or  a  public  cereuionial  profession  of  repentance.     And, 
if  it  ceases  to  be  the  baptism  of  repentance,  it  ceases  to  esistat  all 
For  it  never  can  become  another  ihing.     Wherefore,  it  could  no'  be  ° 
come  the  seal  of  the  covenant  ;    for  that  weuld  suppose  one  thing 
might  become  another  thing,   which  is  absurd.       But   the   Christian 
baptism  has  come  in  the  pi  xe  of  circumcision,  and  is  the  seal  of  the 
same  covenant;  therefore,  John's  baptism  coul.i  not  have  been  conti- 
nued on  as  the  Christian  bapii«.n).   For,  when  JohnS  baptism  ceased 
to  be  the  baptism  of  repentai  ce.  it  ceased  to  exist  at  all.  and  ctmld 
not  become  anotner  thing.     Ji.hn   never  applied  his  baptism  a"  the 
seal  of  the  covenant  ;  but  the   Christian    baptism    is  the  seal  of 
the  covenant  ;  it,   therefofH,   cannot   be  John'i^  baptism,   for  J.>hn 
never  applied  it  to  that  purpose.     Again,  the  Christian  baptism  i? 


i30 

ihe  right  by  wiiich  people  are  p.dmitteu  into  the  ciituch,' but  John 
never  applied  his  baptism  for  that  purpose;  therelore,  John's  baptism 
could  not  be  continued  on  as  tlie  Christian  baptism,  tor  it  never  had 
been  begun,  nor  used  in  that  way.  And  it  is  absurd  to  talk  of  con- 
tinuing it  on,  in  a  purpose  for  which  it  never  begun.  ^Vlie^efore^ 
it  is  clear  that  circumcision  and  John's  baptism,  both  ceased  with 
the  Jewis!)  dispensation;  and  the  Christian  baptism  was  an  cniirtly 
new  institution  of  Christ,  after  his  resurrtction,  under  the  Christian 
dispensation;  and  is  neither  a  continuation,  alteratuin,  nor  amend- 
ment, of  either  Joim's,  or  any  other  of  the  old  divets  washings,  or 
baptisms,  under  the  Jewish  dispensation. 

N.     How  is  the  water  to  be  applied  to  tiic  person,  or  subject  of 
baptism? 

A.  The  water  should  be  sprinkled  on  the  subject.  For  sprink- 
ling is  the  proper  mode  of  baptism. 

N.     How  many  modes  of  baptism  have  been  praciised  ? 

A.  Many  modes  have  been  practised  in  the  world,  by  difter- 
e^nt  sects,  according  to  their  diflereiit  notions;  some  sects  practise 
sprinkling;  some,  pouring;  some  practise  imaiersifin,  by  putting  them 
£^ll  over  in  the  water  once,  with  their  back  down.  Some  put  them  into 
the  water  three  times,  with  their  back  down;  and  some,  three  times 
with  tlicir  face  down.  Some  sects  will  humor  tiie  person's  notion, 
and  accommodate  him  v.'ith  sprinkiing,  pouring,  or  immersion.  Some 
will  come  to  tlie  edge  of  tlie  Mater,  and  stand  up,  and  have  the  water 
sprinkled,  or  else  poured  on  tuem  ;  and  some  choose  to  kneel  down 
at  the  edge  of  the  water,  and  bave  the  water  sprinkled,  or  poured 
on.  Some  prefer  going  down  into  the  edge  of  the  water,  and  stand- 
ing up;  and  some  prefer  kneeling  down,  while  the  water  is  either 
sprinkled,  or  else  poured  on.  Some  think  they  must  go  iiov*n  into 
the  water,  ankle  deep;  and  gome,  half  leg  deep;  and  some,  knee 
deep,  or  deeper,  and  stand  up,  or  else  kneel  down,  and  have  i'l! 
water  either  sprinkled,  or  else  poured  on  them. 

N.  Would  you  be  willing  to  accommodate  atiy  one,  in  that 
way,  about  baptism  ? 

A.     No,  I  woiild  not   . 

N.  Why  so  ^  The  mere  mode  of  baptism  docs  not  «;efc"in  to  be 
of  much  itnportance;  and,  if  a  person  ouaht  i;)  be  baptixeii,  and  has 
Jiis  mind  set  on  some  particular  mode, diftVrti't  Ircm  yt»ur  i.wsi,  and 
he  thinkfe,  honestly,  that  he  ought  to  lollcw  that  particular  mode^ 
and  ortir.M.tbe  convincid  otherwjfiej  Y>ould  jtiiot  be  right  le  atcont- 
modate  hiui  ? 

A.  No.  Just  in  propnruoii  a^  \  think  t!  e  ii'ere  mode,  in  itsell 
•consi^trci.  n  ul  but  little  imporiancc,;  so.  inpioportion,  1  am  uuwil 


2^1 

Ung  to  accainmod.ite  him  in  it.  And,  whereas,  I  think  "  the  keep 
in^;  of  the  com-naiicirnHnts  of  God"  is  evorj  thing  5  and  the  merie 
moile  of  baplisin,  in  itself  considered,  is  nothing;  so  I  am  not  willing 
to  acconimodaf.e  him  in  it,  even  one  particle. 

Fur,  just  in  proportion  as  his  head  and  heart  are  placed  on  the 
mere  mode,  and  he  cannot  be  convinced  otherwise;  so,  in  proportion, 
it  is  a"-reat  niatfer,  in  his  view.  And  so,  in  proportion,  I  think  hirei 
in  ao-reat  error,  and  I  should.be  confirming  him  in  that  great  error;, 
if  r  should  a^ree  witl\  biin,  and  accommodate  him  in  it.  This  hate- 
ful accommodating  turn,  is  not  the  way  to  bring  him  to  the  know- 
ledge of  the  truth  on  this  subject,  or  any  otlner.  The  right  way  is^ 
to  let  him  go  to  those  people,  who  have  their  own  head  and  heart  set 
the  same  way,  on  the  same  points.  T  tell  you,  friend  N.  ,  if  you  be- 
ffin  this  kind  of  accoii^'^'  dation,  there  is  no  end  to  it.  ff  von  may 
accomir.o:i  •-;-.>  imv,  -.vhy  not  ail  ?  And,  if  in  one  thing,  why  not  in 
every  thing.''  And,  in  this  way,  to  go  on  and  accommodate  every 
one,  in  every  thing;  in  every  whim  and  folly  that  ignorance  can  sug- 
gest, as  is  often  done;  any  thing  in  your  Bible  to  the  .contrarj^  ,fl-9v 
withstanding* 

H»    What  ^eitea  the  Bihle  saj  to>  the  coRtcary  ? 

A.     W^  w-ti't  see*  MUT  h  Httle  wliile,  ia  its  proper  place. 

N,  Urns,  the  Bi,bl»  s;peak  pankuJariij  of  any  one  mode  of  bap- 
tism, more  than  another  ? 

A.  Yes,  it  does.  And,  in  my  view,  it  does  not  say  one  jot  or 
tittle  about  any  other. 

N.     Well,  is  not  that  one,  immersion  ? 

A.  No,  it  is  not.  If  the  Bible  be  faithfully,  honestly  and  fully 
examined,  it  will  appear  to  say  nothing  about  baptism,  by  immei- 
sion. 

N.  Weil,  friend  A.,  you  seem  to  have  got  into  a  hard  plac:' 
at  lastj  1  expect  I  shall  plague  you  before  you  get  out. 

A.  Very  well.  But  let  not  him  boast  that  putteth  on  (Ik 
harness,  as  he  that  patteth  it  oiF. 

N.     Did  not  John  the  Baptist  baptize  by  immersion  ? 

A.  No,  he  did  not.  Although  1  have  shewn,  before,  that  John's 
baptism  was  not  the  Christian  baptism;  I  will  now  assert  that  there 
is  no  Bible  evidence  that  Jonn  ever  immersed  any  one.  The  word 
immersion,  is  not  m  the  Old,  or  New  Testament;  neither  does 
the  Bible,  any  where,  signify  that  any  one  was  baptized  by  putting 
him  under  tiic  v/ater,  in  any  way,  that  is  meant  by  the  word  im- 
mersion. 

N.  But  did  not  John  baptize  in  Jordan  ?  Mattb.  3,  G.  And, 
Jesus,  when  he  was  baptized,  went  up  straightway  out  of  the   wa- 


232 


ler.  Mafth.  S,  lO,  tuul  Mark  1,  5,  says,  in  tlie  river  Jordan,  anu 
the  9(h  verse  says — J*su6  was  bapuzcil  oi  John  in  Juidan;  and  thti 
lOih  verse  says,  he  c;nne  up  cut  of  the  water.  Does  not  lliis  look 
like  as  iTJohn  ininicrsed  (litm  ? 

A.  Tht^re  is  tiD^  one  word  said  about  immersion,  in  any  of  tl.em 
places  ti'ir  dos-a  any  ol'  thoss  places  intimate  the  mode,  orliuw  ihey 
w&re  baptized. 

It  is  ti-ufii  such  places  as  them,  that  some  people  think  t^'^j 
ought  to  2,;)  down  into  the  water  ankie  deep,  or  uiore,  and  then  liave 
the  water  either  sprin!;!o<l,  or  poured  on  thein.  And  I  affirm  that 
there  is  as  much  proof  for  it,  as  there  is  for  inimei-s.i{in.  Yet,  I  j^ay 
neither  is  hinted  at,  in  either  fjf  tliose  ;/iiKes.  What  would  you 
think,  brotiicr  N.,  of  such  places  as  these  ?  ISIark  1,  4,  "John  did 
baptize  iii  the  wihierne?s."  John  1,  28.  '--These  things  were  done 
in  Bethabara,  beyond  Jordan,  where  John  was  baptizing."  See, 
also,  John  iOth,  4©:  '"Jesus" — "  wefit  away  sgain  beyond  Jordan, 
into  the  place  where  John  at  first  baptised  ;  and  there  he  abode." 
See,  also,  John  3,  £3:  '•  And  John  fii^s>  V.'as  baptizing  in  Aenon, 
ticar  '^^a'Hil^  r^'T^'^.l^.^^  there  was  much  watQV  there." 

Tiiere  is  not  one  particle  said  about  luiUJcrBJoc,   or  iiny  other 

\^  .s  »-■    ••        »           -*  tii^c"  "isir.pu.     The  "  wildci'ijeggi"  ijx 
mofie  C*  oaptism,  m^nyo.  ....::^  , »u4v*wv>.pj    *^. 

which  John  cried,  or  preached,  and  baptized,  lay  between  Jerusalem 
and  the  river  Jordan.  There  is  no  evidence  that  he  immersed  any 
one  in  the  wilderness  of  Judea;  although  "he  did  baptize  in  the  wil- 
derness." Bethabara  was  a  town  beyond  Jordan,  from  Jerusalem, 
nearly  opposite  Jericho,  and  the  ncrthern  parts  of  the  wilderness, 
in  whicli  John  baptized.  See  Carpenter's  Geography  of  the  New 
Testament:  and  Butler's  Geography,  and  many  others.  This  town, 
Bethabara,  where  John  was  baptizing,  must,  in  all  likelihood,  have 
been  the  place  into  which  Jesus  went,  and  abodej  for  it  is  not  likely 
that  he  abode  in  a  water,  nor  in  a  wilderness,  at  that  time.  Aennn 
was  atown  on  that  side  of  Jordan  on  which  Jerusalem  stood.  See 
the  Geographies  referred  to  above.  Jc'hin  baptized  also  in  this  town 
Aenon,  because  there  was  much  water  there;  or  many  \Miter?,  fi)r 
it  is  in  the  [;k'ral  nuniber,  in  tlic  Greek  Testament.  It  was  a  well 
watered  place  lura  t-awn,  and  convenient  for  larj;e  assemblies  ofpeo- 
ple;  for  there  were  a  nuii'iber  of  springs,  or  water?. 

Nou'  tiicre  is  no  evidence  th.r.t  J;)hc  immersed  any  one,  in  the 
wilderness,  nor  in  either  of  these  tov/us,  Aenon  and  Bcfluibara,  one 
on  one  side  oi  t!ie  river  Jordan,  and  the  otlicr  town,  on  ti;6 
other  side  of  the  river.  Neither  i:i  there  any  evidence  liiat  he 
'.nmersed  any  one  in  tlh^.  river  Jordan,  as  was  said  before.  ■  And 
i^t  is  from   all   sucii  scriptures,  J'lat  say   soinelliing  about  baptizinir 


111  the  water,  and  iu  Jonlaii,  ,biit  say  uothing  about  iuiaiersiu.i,  uur 
any  otb.er  mode  of  bapfism,  tliat  some  people  tliirik  they  must  be  im- 
mersed; atui  some  others  think  they  must  only  go  down  to  the  edge 
of  the  water,  or  ankle  deep,  or  halt  leg  deep,  or  knee  deep,  or  deep- 
er; and  then  either  stand  up,  or  else  kneel  down,  and  then  have  the 
water  either  sprinkled,  ur  else  poured  on  them;  according  to  whate- 
ver may  happen  to  be  their  whim  or  notion;  for  none  of  them  have 
any  proof  for  any  part  of  it,  from  any  such  places,  nor  from  any  part 
of  the  Bible. 

Now,  we  have  quoted  all  the  Scripture  statements  about  John 
the  Baptist's  baptism,  that  have  been  particularly  relied  on,  fo'r 
[woof,  tliat  John  practised  immersion, 

N.  But  are  there  no  other  places  that  have  been  relied  on,  foi- 
the  pruuf  oi"  immersion  r 

A.  Yes;  such  as  the  case  of  Philip  and  tlie  Eunuch,  which 
took  place  under  the  Christian  dispensation;  and  which  we  will  at- 
tend to  hereafter. 

But  I  vvish  you  to  remember,  we  have  been,  so  far,  particularly 
examining  John's  baptism,  to  see  if  there  be  any  proof  that  John  ever 
immersed  any  one  at  all.  And  now  I  assert  that  there  is  not  one- 
particle,  oreven  one  shallow  of  a  partick  of  evidence  that  Johq  the 
Baptist  ever  immersed  any  one  whomsoever. 

And  suppose  immersion  to  have  been  a  high  crime  or  a  misdemea- 
nor, puni-hablein  a  court  of  law  and  justice;  and  John  to  have  been  ac- 
cused,, and  a  bill  laid  before  a  swurn  and  impartial  Grand  Jury;  and 
all  the  above  passages  of  Scripture  brought  forward  as  the  evidence 
of  his  guilt;  the  Jury  would  have  ignoramused,  or  ignored  the  bill  ' 
for  the  Jury  would  have  had  no  evidence,  and  could  not  have  found 
a  true  bill. 

But  even  if  he  had  been  committed  to  jail,  or  in  some  way  bound 
to  court,  on  suspicion;  an:!  the  case  had  been  exatnined  before  the 
court  and  traverse  jury,  and  all  this  testimony  carefully  weighed, 
and  fully  accredited;  yet  tiie  jury  would  have  returned  their  verdict 
not  guilty  of  immersion,  accordmg  to  the  manr!er  and  form  laid  in 
the  bill  of  indictment.  Asid  an  action  in  law,  would  have  lain, 
ilgainstthe  prosecutor  for  a  malicious  prosecution  For  h-e  had  no 
probable  cause  of  coujplaint. 

And,. on  the  o.ther  hand,  if  imme'-^ion  had  been  some»^hing  lio- 
norable  and  meritorious,  John  would  nave.  gii-*..  d  no  credit  by  it- 
for  there  was  no  evidence  that  he  ever  bad  done  it,  in  tlwse  p;j'5«.a- 
ges  of  Scripture. 

N.     But,  a'^'hough  there  is   no  evidence,  siven  expressly,  ti-jat 
ever.  John  immersed  any  one;  yet  is  it  not  implied  in  tue  word  jaj.- 
T2 


1^34 


.i/,e  1'     !))<.;»  not  the  vcrj  word  bapti/.c,   siguii'v  iiiiraersu)'.;.  axA  no.' 
thing  else  ? 

A.  No,  it  does  not.  For  the  word  baptize,  bot!i  in  Greek  and 
Engliph,  signiiies  a<  much  as  the  word  wash,  signiiles;  which  is  much 
more  than  mere  -iunner.sion.  There  might  be  as  many  different 
modes  of  baptizing,  as  there  are  different  modes  of  washing.  Where- 
fore, Paul  speaks  of  divers  washings,  or  baptisms,  (baptismois.j 
in  the  Greek  Testament.     See  Heb.  9,   10. 

And  it  is  impossible  to  know  which  is  the  proper  mode  of  bap- 
tism, unless  we  learn  it  from  somewhere  else  in  the  Bible.  Bap- 
tism is  a  sacred  ceremonial  washing:  and  the  proper  mode  of  Chris- 
tian baptism,  is  the  point  wliich  I  hope  to  shew,  before  we  quit  the 
subject. 

N.  Although  l  have  several  other  questioas  to  propose,  on 
those  passages  of  Scripture  relating  to  John's  baptism,  before  we 
quit  them;  yet  I  wish  now  to  inquire  a  little  about  what,  you  agree, 
belongs  to  the  Christian  baptism.  See  Acts  8,  S8,  39.  "  And  they 
went  down  both  into  the  water,  bo(h  Philip  and  the  Eunuch,  and  he 
baptized  him.  And  when  they  were  coine  up  out  of  the  water." 
Now  does  it  not  seem  as  if  Pliilip  immersed  the  Eunuch  .^ 

A.  It  does  not  seem  so  to  me,  I  assure  you  ;  but  it  rather 
seems  strange  to  me,  that  any  one  should  think  he  learned  from  that 
place,  that  Philip  immersed  the  Eunuch.  That  place  says — "and 
be  baptized  him."  But  it  does  not  say  he  immersed  him.  It  is  ab- 
solutely begging  the  question,  to  say  he  immersed  him;  but  it  is  not 
proving  the  fact  ef  immersion.  The  going  down  into  the  water, 
was  not  the  baptism;  nor  the  coming  up  out  of  the  water.  But,  after 
they  went  down  into  the  water,  "  he  baptized  him,"  and  after 
he  was  baptized,  they  come  up  out  of  the  water.  How  did  "he 
baptize  himr"  The  point  is  undecided;  and  one  man  has  as  much 
fight  to  say,  he  sprinkled  him,  or  he  poured  water  on  him;  as  another 
has  to  say  he  immersed  him.  And,  therefore,  some  people  do  con- 
tend that  the  right  way  is,  to  go  down  into  the  water,  and  then  have' 
water  sprinkled,  or  poured  on  them.  But  the  place  itself  proves  no- 
thing about  the  mode  of  baptizing  the  Eunuch. 

It  should  be  held  in  remembrance,  tiiat  the  Eunuch  was  a  man 
of  great  authority,  under  Candace,  queen  of  the  Ethiopians,  in  Afri-. 
ca;  and  he  had  come  up  to  Jersasalem  to  the  Jewish  worship;  and 
vithoot  hearing  of  Christ,  the  Saviour,  he  was  returning  home,  in  his 
carriage,  to  Africaj  which  was  south  from  Jerusalem.  And  he  took 
iihe^yay  which  led  from  Jerusalem  unto  Gaza;,  which  is  desert.    Antl 


235 

no  was  rca'liu'^  tlie  Prophet  Esaias.  And  the  Apostle  Pliillp*  was 
directed  to  ^^oaml  join  hunsolt  to  tiie  carriage  5  and  he  was  invited 
to  come  up  into  tlie  carriajre,  with,  which  he  complied.  And.  as  they 
rode  tot^ether,  Philip  explained  the  Scripture  to  the  Eunuch,  and 
preached  unto  him  Jesus. 


*  I  say  I'hilip  the  Apostle.  I  know  it  has  been  s-iid  by  some,  tiiat  he 
\va3  Philip  the  Deacon.  I  cannot  agree,  however,  that  he  was  Philip  the  Dea- 
con, foi-  the  following  reasons  : 

1st.  There  is  no  evidence  that  Philip  the  Deacon  was  ever  commissioned;,, 
or  sent  by  proper  authority,  to  preach  or  baptize.  He  was  ordained  a  Dea. 
con,  expressly  to  manage  the  temporal  concerns  of  the  Chiirnh.  Acts  6,  1—6. 
Bat  this  gave  him  no  authority  as  a  preacher  wliatever. 

And  to  say  that  Philip  the  Evangelist,  which  was  one  of  the  seven— Acts 
35^  8— was  Philip  that  baptized  the  Eunuch  aad  otliers,  is  begging  the  ques- 
tion. 

2d.     Any  person  was  an  Ev.ingeHst'>hat  carried  good  news,  whether  he 

was  authorized  and  sent,  or  not. 

3d.  Every  Christian  has  a  right  to  talk,  and  circulate  the  good  news  of  thfe 
Gospel,  so  far  as  he  knows  the  truth;  and  so  far  as  he  does  it,  he  is  an  Evange- 

iist 

4th.  Also,  every  preacher  is  an  Evangelist;  but  every  "Evangelist  is  not  a 
preacher. 

5th.  A  preacher  acts  under  proper  authority,  as  a  herald,  and  detivecs 
his  message  by  authority;  as  Philip  did — Acts  8,  5 — when  he  preached  Christ  : 
^ Greek,  Ekerussen,  preached. )  But  he, ''also,  in  the  12th  verse,  preaching", 
'Greek,  Evangelizomeno,  Evangelized.) 

These  two  words  are  very  different.  Ekerussen,  is  a  word  used  to  signify, 
thathe  preached  by  autliority.  And  is  not  applied  to  the  preaching  cf  a  mere 
Evangelist,  who  acts  under  no  authority.  Like  the  members  oflthe  church  that 
were  first  scattered  abroad — See  Acts  8, 1,  and  4 — For  "they  that  were  scattered 
abroad,  went  everywhere,  preaching  the  word." — (Greek,  Evangelizomenoi;) 
■pearly  all,  but  the  Apostles,  weie  scattered  abroad,  and  they  all  circulated  the 
word .     But  no  one  of  them  had  authority  to  preach,  Kerussein,  as  Philip  did. 

6.  PhiUp  the  Evangelist,  (one  of  the  seven  Deacons,)  in  all  likelihood 
went  at  first  with  those  who  were  scattered  abroad,  and  left  the  Apostles,  at 
Jerusalem,  to  stand  the  storm  of  persecution. 

7th.  Then,  sometime  after  they  were  scattered,  Philip,  one  of  the  Apos» 
lies,  left  the  other  Apostles  at  Jerusalem,  and  went  down  from  Jerusalem  to  the 
dity  of  Samaria,  and  preached  Christ  unto  them — 5th  v. 

Then  the  Apostles  that  still  remained  at  Jerusalem,  sent  down  Peter  and 
John  to  the  city  of  Samaria,  to  help  Philip — 14  v.  Then  it  seems  that  Peter, 
John,  and  Philip,  returned  to  Jerusalem^ — 25  v.  Then  Philip  was  directed  to 
leave  Jerusalem,  and  go  and  attend  the  Eunuch — 26  v. — on  liis  way  to  Africa, 
along  the  way  through  Gaza,  which  was  on  the  opposite  side  of  Jerusalem, 
^rom  the  city  of  Samaria,  where  he  first  went,  and  to  where  Peter  and  John  had 
fceea  sent  to  help  him. 

And,  it  istrue,  Philip,  after  ke  l^aptized  the  Eanuich,  went  round  again  tf 


:iS€ 


Ami,  as  they  went  on  their  way,  fh'-y  ca^ne  to  a  certaiu  walerV 
aud  he  coinmandeJ  the  chariot  to  stand  still.  "And  they  went  down 
into  the  water,  both  Philip  and  the  Eunuch,    and  he  baotized   liim. 
And  when  they  were  come  up  out  of  the  water,"  &c.     See  Acts  8, 
26 — 39.     Now  it  has  been  said,  by  some,  that  there  was  not  a  wateif     || 
of  sufficient  size  and  depth  for  the  immersion  of  a  man,   in  all  that     * 
desert  part  of  the  country,  along  the  way  leading  from  Jerusalem 
tmto  Gaza;  and,  therefore,  that  Philip  could  not  have  immersed  the 
Eunuch,  in  that  desert  country.      Bui,  be  that  as  it   may,    there   U 
nor  the  shadow  of  evidence  that  Philip  did    immerse  the   Eunuch. 
They  had  not  started  out  to  hunt  a   suitalile   place  for  immerson. 


♦Jsesaria,  wliich  was  north  from  Jerusalem;  and,  some  years  uftcr  tliis,  Paul  tar,- 
i-iecl  with  Ph.iljp  the  Deacon,  in  the  same  CK3:u'ia.  But  thh  is  no  proof  tha't 
■Philip  the  Deacon,,  called  the  Evang-elist,  was  the  Philip  that  baptized  the  Eu« 
•nuch.  For  his  bein^  a  mere  Evang-elist,  gave  him  no  kind  of  anthoritj'  to 
•preach  as  a  herald,  and  baptize.  For,  I  say,  any  one  that  would,  even  of  his  own 
accord,  tell  and  circulate  the  good  news  of  the  woj'd  correctly,  so  far  as  he  un- 
derstood it,  was  an  Evangelist. 

Stephen  the  Deacon  done  this — See  Acts  6,  8 — 15,  and  chap.  7 — yet  li'e 
\vas  not  authorizetJ  to  preach  or  baptize,  that  we  know  of.  It  is  generally  al- 
lovvcd,  that,  being  made  a  Deacon,  did  not  authorize  Philip  to  preach  and  ba|5.- 
lizc ;  and  that  he  must  have  been  authorized  in  some  other  w*y,  of  which  v/e  havn 
not  been  informed,  and  that  lie  did  not  baptize  and  preach  as  a  Deacon  merel}'. 
But  I  thiuk  that  there  is  no  evidence,  that  Pliilip  the  Deacon,  preached  in  the 
sense  of  an  authorized  preacher,  or  baptized  at  all, 

I'aul  directed  Timothy  to  do  the  work  of  an  Evangelist — 2  'I'ini.  4,  5-^ 
IJut,  in  2  Tim.  1,  G,  Paul  says  to  him — Stir  up  the  gift  of  God,  which  is  in  tliee^ 
by  the  putting  on  of  my  hands.  Thnothy  was,  therefore,  an  ordained  preach 
cr.  And,  Ephns.  4,  11.  He  gave  some.  Apostles  ;  and  some.  Prophets  ;  and 
some,  Evangelists  ;  and  some,  Pastors  and  Teachers, 

It  does  notap])carto  nie  that  an  Evaiisrelist  was  a  distinct  oiTlcer,  but  that 
any  oite  was  an  evangelist,  who  carried  good  news,  whether  he  was  commission- 
ed and  sent  or  not-  Angelos,  an  angel,  was  one  that  cari'ied  news,  good  or  bad  ; 
whether  be  was  sent  or  not.  But,  if  he  was  sent,  he  was  properly  a  messenger. 
And,  as  a  messenger  sent,  he  was  bound,  as  a  messenger,  to  deliver  the  parti- 
cular message;  but  no  more.  Whererore,  as  a  mere  messenger,  he  had  no  au- 
thority to  do  more  than  to  deliver  the  message.  So,  if  he  was  even  sent  as  a  mere 
Evangelist,  that  is,  as^a  mere  carrier  of  good  news,  he  had  no  authority  to  do  more 
than  to  deliver  tlie  particular  nC-wswitli  which  lie  was  sent  ;  wherefore,  as  an 
Evangelist,  he  had  no  authority  to  baptize. 

Every  ordained  Preacher  is  »n  Evangelist,  as  Timothy  was  ;  but  he  might 
have  been  an  Evangelist  before  he  Wislisensed,  or  ordained.     His  lisense  con-- 
stituted  him  a  messenger,  which  was  an  authorized  carrier  of  the  Gosnel.     Anfl 
his  ordination  only  extended  th:)*  riuthority  farther,  by  allowing  him  to  baptii^C; 
&C,    But  he  was  an  EvangeUstall  the  time. 


2^^7 

^'ut  thoy  were  on  a  journey,  ridins;  in  a  carria^;'^,  and  tbrtunP-tclj 
camt.^  to  a  water,  whether  mucii  or  iiitle,  sijiFicii^nt  for  lj;ij)tizii)^  the 
Jianach.  P'or,  rlie  going  doA-n,  out  of  (.he  carriaf^e,  into  the  water, 
vva^  )io  part  of  the  btoti-s  n.  iiat,  ifter  they  went  down  into  the' 
water,  then  *' liebaptizi'.d  hitn."  But  tiie  question  is  undecided- 
How  did  he  baptize  hiai  ?  This  is  the  point  we  have  yet  to  decide, 
before  we-quit  the  subject,  fr.)!n  somewhere  else  in  the  Bible.  For, 
taking  all  that  is  sai<l  iib>»ut  John's  b.intism,  and  all  tiiat  is  said 
about  Philip  baptizing  the  Eunu.h  togeiher,  it  appears  to  rae,  that 
one  man  has  no  more  or  better  rig-it,  or  authority,  id  say,  he  uii- 
mersed  him;  than  another  has,  to  saj'  besprinkled  him,  or  he  pour- 
ed water  on  him. 

N.  Well,  does  not  these  places  prove,  at  least,  that  people 
ought  to  go  down  into  the  wafer  some  distance,  so  as  to  wet  their 
feet,  or  ankle  deep, or  half-leg  deep,  or  kaeedsep, or  more,  as  some 
people  have  practised?  whether  they  are  immersed,  or  sprinkled,  or 
water  poured  on  them  ?  Because  the  placea  do  say,  'nn  Jordanj" 
"  into  the  water,"  and   ''  up  out  of  the  water." 

A.  It  should  be  carefully  noticed,  that  these  words — in  Jor- 
Uan  ',  into  the  water  ;  and  out  of  tlie  water,  are  not  intended  by  the 
writers;  to  represent  any  thin  gabout  the  manneror  mode  ofbaptismj 
but  are  rather  intenJ^i  by  cne  Sri^''"^^  enters  of  th?  Or^ek  B-stji- 
ment,  and  by  the  translators,  to  represent  the  places  where  the  bap- 
tisms were  performed. 

For,  Luke  3,  2 — 6,  says, that  the  word  of  God  came  unto  John, 
the  son  of  Zacbarias,  in  the  wilderness.  And  he  came  into  all  the 
country  about  Jordan,  preaching  the  baptism  of  repentance  for  the 
vemission  of  sins;  as  it  is  written  in  the  book  of  the  words  of  Esaias 
the  Prophet,  saying.  The;  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness,  pre- 
pare ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  bis  paths  straight.  Every  valley 
shall  be  filled,  and  ever^'  mountain  and  hill  shall  be  brought  lowjand 
the  crooked  shall  be  made  straight,  and  the  rough  ways  shall  be 
made  smooth;  and  all  flesh  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God.  See,  alsQj 
>Iatti!.  3,3.  Mark  1,  3— -9.  Now,  the  writers  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament intended  to  shew  that  this  ancient  prophecy  of  Esaias,  con- 
tained in  his  40i,h  chap.  3 — G  v.  was  fuUViied  in  the  case  of  John. 
For  he  had  preached,  and  baptized  any  where,  and  every  v.here^ 
and  in  every  place,  wherever  he  had  an  opportunity;  in  (lie  wilder- 
ness ;  in  the  town  Bethabara;  in  the  town  Aenon;  about  Jordan  ;  in 
Jo.'xiaii;  in  the  river  Jordan;  cr  in,  or  at,  or  by,  the  river  Jordan,  as 
the  itmo  word  is  ol'tcn  translated.  For  he  came  into  all  the  cnun- 
try  aljo.rt  Jordan,  preacliing  the  baptism  of  repentance.  And  he 
;ipp.;ar3  to  have  nroachovl  and  baptized  in  every  place,  v/herevertho 


circumsfancps  of  the  case  ndmitteJ,  or  requirecJ  him  to  preach  and  to 
baptize.  But  he  was  boun;l  to  da  all  exactly  ;iccoi<!i!io;t()  the  Levi- 
tical  l,uv:  {or  he  was  to  make  strai<>;ht  th.e  way  of  the  liord. 

I  think  I  have  proved  that  Joh.n's  baptism  \va?  not  liis  Christian 
baptism  ;  butnctw  [  will  add,  tliat  the  Jpw*,  who  came  out  from  Je- 
rusalem, and  all  Jtidea,  and  all  the  region  round  about  Jordan,  and 
paitic'ilarly  that  generation  of  vipers,  to  be  baptized  by  John,  did 
not  understand  that  John's  baptism,  was  the  Christian  baptism,  or 
they  would  not  have  came  to  be  baptized  ;  neither  did  John  say  it 
was.  If  he  had,  they  would  have  rejected  John  and  ids  baptism,  as 
thev  rejected  Christ.  But  they  understood  that  John  v/as  a  Liviti- 
cal  Priest,  and  that  hisbaptisoi  was  a  Jewish  baptism,  and  that  they, 
as  Jews,  had  a  right  to  it.  But  Jolui,  as  a  Levitical  Priest,  was 
bound  to  attend  to  their  qualifications,  as  well  as  to  the  legal  mode 
of  administering  baptism  to  them.  He.  therefore,  required  them  to 
bring  forth  fruits  meet  for  repentance,  and  then  receive  baptism  ac- 
cording to  the  legal  mode.  The  Saviotir  himself  was  to  fulfil  the 
law,  in  every  jot  and  tittle.  But  John  was  his  forerunner,  and  was 
to  make  straight  the  way  of  the  Lord,  by  shewing  the  difter?nce  b8» 
txveen  the  law  and  the  tradition  of  the  E'derg,  by  whieh  thi  law  had 
been  mudevoid.  Wherpfore,  John's  mode  of  baptism,  was  exactly 
what  the  law  required^in  thst  jKjifit.  or  cUe  he  made  a  crooked  place, 
instead  of  a  straight  way.  And  this  he  attended  to,  by  baptizing  in 
any  and  every  place,  wherever  the  circumstances  of  the  case  ad- 
mitted, or  required,  according  to  the  law  ;  and  the  Apostles  did  so.* 
too,  according  to  the  GospeL 

But  the  mode,  or  how  they  administered  baptism,  was  another 
thing.  The  words,  in,  into,  and  out  of  the  v.ater,  never  were  in- 
tended, by  the  writers  of  the  Testament,  nor  by  the  translators, 
to  prove,  or  shew  any  partof  tlie  mode  or  manner  of  baptizing,  any 
more  than  any  part  oftlieir  mode  or  manner  of  preaching.  And, 
I  have  no  doubt,  they  often  baptized  in  the  same  places  where  they 
preached. 

The  very  sar.ie  word  (en)  in  the  Greek  Testament,  as  may  be 
seen  by  every  Greek  scholar,  which  is  translated  (in) — See  Mark 
1,  4 — in,  in  the  wilderness^  ;-,nd  vetse  5,  in,  in  the  river  Jordan — 
Matth.  3,  6 — in  Jordan — John  1,  28 — in  Bethabara — John  3,  23 — 
in  A  Oiin. 

That  same  word,  I  say,  is  a  preposition,  that  governs  the  dative 
case  in  Greek;  and  i.-s  very  variously  translated  into  English,  accord- 
ing to  the  matter,  or  thing-)  rL'ialed,  so  as  to  give  the  sense,  and 
read  sn^.oothly  in  English. 

Wheref.^ro,  in  Acis  8, 1,  that  same  word  is  translated,  at,  twice 


_;._•>>; 


r.)  the  aise  verso  :  at,  tliat  tiiiu  .  ;,-.,:iem  ;  John  2,  2S  :  at,  tin; 

Piissover  j  John  1  I,-  24  ;  at,  tue  !l.>.sid>ij'  ;  Luke  4,  I  ;  it  is  trans- 
lU'eii,  bv,  by  tiie  Spirit;  Eph.  5,  JG  ;  uj.  tlie  word  ,•  Luke  2,  i4  ; 
I. > ward,  guoii  will  iDwavd  men  :  EpU.  \:.  5£ ;  through,  through  the 
•Spiri'^  John  10,  iO  ;  ;i,in.>ui;,  tin  J  •  ,^.  ;  Acts  2.!,  19  ;  among  the 
Geuuies:  fJattn.  3,  9;  Wii:).  ■,  •,;,,,:,, -ilves  ;  Matth.  3,  11  ;  with, 
v/it!i  uwitiT  ;  uiid,  With;,  th.e  si  ■;  y  GiM>it,  and  witii,  lire  j  John  1,26^; 
v.'i'ji,  I  baptize,  with,  water  ;  vtnse  .31  ;  baptizing,  v/ith,  'vvater,,^ 
vcije  33  ;  tu  japtixe,  With,  wiitei  _?  with,  the  IIo!y  Ghost. 

it  is  the  siiiiie   word,   i.  all  cU;-'oe   phices,   thai  is   so  vari«us!> 
traiiilatt'ii;  aid  a;))' one  may  see,  thit   it   would   iiuiiher  have  made 
p  j',)d  seuse,  iior  have  read  rightly  irj   English,  if  it  had  been   trans-' 
'atedthus:  Bathe  shall  baptize  you,  in,  the  llyiy  Ghost,  and,  Its 
ilie  fire. 

Now,  if  the  question  be  asked.;  Where  did  JoLn  baptize?  I 
a;;iwer,  in,  at,  or  by,  ail  the  phicos,  where  it  was  said  he  baptiz!.:d 
Bit  if  t'ae  question  be  ;  How  did  John  baptize?  I  answer,  with 
'.vat-r,  asheoi'teu  said  hiraself.  But  iiot,  in,  the  water  ;  for,  then^ 
it  would  follow,  that  Christ  also  should  baptize  you,  in,  the  Hoi}' 
Giiost,  and,  in,  the  fire  ;  which  would  be  a  perversion  of  the  trutli, 
antiofiiie  Knglish  language,  by  uiaking  it  communicate  what  the 
Greek  writers  never  rneadt. 

We  will,  now,  attend  to  another  v.'ord  eonnected  with  the  pla- 
ces where  John  baptized.  It  is  tnc  word  Apo,  translated,  out  of  j 
Matth.  3,  16;  apo,  out  of,  the  v.ater:Mark  1.  10  ;apo,  outof  the  water. 
This  word,  apo,  is  a  preposition,  that  governs  the  genitive  case  in 
Greek;  and  is  variously  translated.  Pvlatth.  3,  4,  it  is  translated,  of, 
of  cai.ueFs  hair  ;  Matt'i.  3,  7  ;  frora,  from  the  wrath  to  come  ;  L.ike 
•3,  7  ;  from,  tiie  wrath  to  come  ;  verse  II  ;  frora,  Galilee  :  Matth, 
.3,  and  Matth,  £8,  2  ;  fiotn.  the  door  ;  Acts  8,  33  ;  (rem,  the  earth j- 
Mark  1,  9  ;  from,  iN'azateth  of  Galilee  ;  Luke  4,  1  ;  from,  Joidan, 
4.nd,  Matth,  3,  io,  aad  Mark  l,  1(3  ;  that- are^  translated,  oat  of 
the  water^  would  hive  been   as  wei'i  translated,  from  ihf^  water, 

\ad,aow\ve  have  been  examining  tlie.  two  words  used  in  re, 
ference  to  John's  btptism  ;;  oae  transhition,  in,  and  the  other,  outofj 
and  both  represent  the  places  where  hn  baptized  }  and,  althouglL. 
one  of  those  w(n-ds  shews  he  i)aprized  with  water,*  yet  .neither  of 
then  shews  how  the  v/.»ter  was  put  on.  Neither  does  either  of  those 
words  intioiaie  that  either  John,  or  either  of  his  di-sciples,  or 
the  Rede  iiTier,  did,  or  did  not,  get  their  feet  wet,  in  any  of  his  t)ap= 
tjs'iis,  in  Jordan,  in  the  wilderness,  or  in  the  towns,  Aen(;n  and 
Bethabara.  That  was  a  uierecircu-nstani^al  mater,  not  worth  re- 
lating, tor  it  waa  no  pan  of  his  oaptism.     And  any  one.  wj^'^^  witli 


240 

as  ujucii  wisiloju  auu  propriety,  conten.ci  that  tiieir  preacher  uiust 
have  nis  rat  oetit  o\  carnt'i's  hair,  and  a  leathern  girdie  about  bis 
loiiis,  as  Joii u  kdd;  as  to  conf^ad,  froui  the  two  words,  for  any  par- 
ticular mode  o[bapu>i:ri  ;  or  that  they  must  be  im.ncrsr^,d  ;  or  that 
t!ie)^  titust  go  down  to  ihe  ed^e  of  tne  water,  or  into  tlic  uater,  so  as 
ti)  wet  their  feet-.  Which,  perhaps',  v\'iil  appenr  n^.-ire  clear! j,  when 
vye  examine  ttie  rv/o  u'i-:(i3  ihut  are  U!«.t:d  in  the  case  of  Fiiilip  bap- 
tizing trc  Euiijci!,  wnic'i  are  d:tft,:-.*nT  w()rd.>  fi-Diu  tnose  tv/;)  ii-.ed 
in  the  cas.e  of  Jtihn's  oapli^irj,  and  v.hicii  ne  have  just  now  cxa- 
iiiincd. 

Actrs  8,  38;  the  Greek  word,  eis.  tr;)n7.!:itcd.  into,  into  the  wa- 
ter, is  a  prepo-iition  t'c-ti  •^•ovcrns  tne  .:!i  cu-'tivo  ca^e  in  Ortek  ;  and 
is  va*  fi»'J.slf  translated.  accordiniJ-  to  cireu^r.ttancc.s,  Multii.  3,  P.: 
it  is  translatel,  unto,  unto  repeiiiaiice  ;  Jo;*.!  .2(.»,  !,  unlo,  unto  the 
sepulclire  ;  Mstiii.  ^3.  i,  to^vard-..  to'.^ards  i!iC  :\r^\  <;  -  ■'  ■'!;•" 
we-k^  Acts  --l-'u   15,  tiv.v.ird.  towarti  (yud  ;   Joiui   j  I,  -18,  ob.  ;  ,• 

Ai-ts  8,  40  ;  at.  at  Az.:>:u-;  j  Joho  il,  i-2,  at,  it  his  feet  ;  Acts  1  I, 
6,  upon,  upon  tue  /.i'lic'ri;  Arts  T.  5.3,  by,  by  t'le  disposifion  of  An- 
gels;Ai  ts  il5,  8,  ajramit,  agiinst  the  law,  aj^ainst  t!ie  tem[de,  nor  yet 
a;;aifjst  Ciesar  ;  John -30,  5,  to,  to  the  sepulchre;  verse  4,  to,  fjrst> 
to,  the  Sepulchre^  5tli  verse,  yet  went  not  in:  Acts  8,  ^25,  to,  to  Je- 
rusalem; Luke  3,  3,  for,  for  the  readssion  of  sins  ,•  John  11,  38,  to 
the  grave. 

Now,  as  in  John  20,  3.  4,  that  word  is  translated,  to  the  sepul- 
chre, but  the  5th  verse  says,  went  not  in,;  and,  as  in  Acts  8,  25,  the 
same  word  is  tr:mslated  to,  to  Jerosaiem  ;  sq  that  same  word,  in 
Acts  8,  38,  might  have  been  translated  to,  to  the  water,  thus  :  And 
they  went  down  both  to  the  water,  both  Philip  and  the  Eunuch,  and 
he  baptized  him.  And  then  there  would  have  been  no  opinion  of 
any  oae,  nor  apoeai  ince  to  any  one,  that  they  went  in  ;  and  no  one 
would  have  thought  he  could  learn  anv  thing  about  the  mode  of  bap- 
tism, from  that  place.  Yet  he  cduM  have  learne<i  as  much  about 
the  place  where  he  was  baptized,  as  he  can  from  the  present  trans- 
lation. The  going  down  from  the  charriot  to,  or  into  the  water,  was 
no  part  of  the  baptism,  but  it  was  a  circumstance  necessarily  at- 
tending t!ie  case  :  for  there  appears  to  have  bi^en  no  other  way  for 
thein  to  get  the  water  ,;  for  they  were  on  a  journey,  and  riding  in 
the  charriot,  and  were  obliged  to  go  dnwn  at  least,  to  the  water  ;  or 
else  nat  baptize  iiim  at  all.  It  is  strange  to  me,  fha*  any  one  should 
fix  his  eye  on  a  mere  circumstafice  necessarily  attending  that  peru, 
liar  case,  and  then,  ail  hisiifetime,  contend  that  every  one,  tnaleand 
fe'nale,  in  all  circumstances,  ought  to  go  dov^n  into  the  wa'er,  ai:d 
then  be  immersed  all  over  in  the  water  ;  or  contend  that  the}'  must.. 


mi 

at  least,  go  down  tollie  8(l<^eof  tlie  water,  ov  in  the  water,  so  fai' 
as  to  wet  their  feet  ;  althougn,  in  fuct,  th.it  circnmstance  is  no  part 
of  tlie  baptism.  Tliej  might  just  as  wisely  a.a.-i  rij^htly  conterid. 
that  they  and  tlieir  preacher  must  always  come  liding  up  to  the  batik 
of  the  creek,  in  a  chariot;  for  that  was  as  muGh  a  part  of  the  baptism-, 
as  going  down  to,  or  into  the  water,  was. 

The  other  Greek  word,  [ek,)  A-  ts  8,  39  ;  transl.ited,  out  of,  tUe 
water;  is  a  preposition  that  governs  the  genitive  case  in  Greek.  And. 
it  is  variously  translated.  And  in  1  Cor,  13,  (2,  that  word,  ek.  is 
translated,  in,  in  part  ;  Matth.  ;1,  9,  it  is  trjni^iated.  of,  of  these 
stones  J  Romans  9,  32;  by,  not,  by  faith  ,•  Mat!).  3,  irjlioiii,  from 
heaven  ;  John  20,  I,  from,  from  the  sepulchc?  ;  fjob.  11,  19,  from, 
from  the  dead  ;  Jf»hn  10,  ,>2,    iVo;p.,  froni  my  iith^'r. 

And,  in  Acts  8,  39,  it  would  have  beer,  jii^t  ;)s  well  trhnsiat^d, 
if  it  had  been  translated  from  the  water. 

Now,  I  have  prodiiced  a  few  j:-!aces.  <.i'!T  of  mfiny  thp.t  n'"-:^''  be 
brought  to  view,  to  i>.hew  how  various. y  thos!-  lou'  wuc-Ja  have  been 
translated;  on  whicii  words  so  inany  people  have  depended,  as  evi- 
dence of  their  notions  of  baptism  being  correct.  As  immersion;  oc 
else  that  they  must  go  down  into  the  water  some  distance,  even  if 
the  water  is  to  be  sprinkled,  or  poured  on  them.  And  aoy  one,  lean.-, 
ingto  either  of  those  whiuis,  thinks  it  very  strange  of  all  the  'cfthers 
'ciriiij^  Tiinerr-ntiy  From  himself. 

Whereas,  l^n  truths  there  are  many  connexions,  in  which  those 
words  occur  in  the  Greek  Testament;  and,  in  sonje  of  those  con^ 
nexions,  if  those  words  had  been  translated,  in,  into,  and  om  of  ; 
tliey  would  have  made  tio  sense  at  si'i,  in  the  English  language. 

But,  in,  at,  or  by,  Jordan;  and,  also,  to,  into, the  water  j  and, 
out  of,  the  water,  and  from  the  water,  all  fnake  equally  good 
and  smooth  English,  and  equally  good  sense,  when  it  represents 
the  fact.  But  I  shall  shew,  presently,  that  the  Greek  writers,  did 
iiot  mean  to  represent  or  express,  in  the  cases  of  Jo'in  and  Philip, 
vyhat  we  mean  in  English,  by  the  words,  in, .into,  and,  out  of. 

But.  as  to  the  matter  of  fact,  whether  they  haptized  in  Jocdijn, 
or  went  into  the  water,  as  we  mean  in  Enj^iish,  it  mi-de  no  more 
difference  than  the  fact  that  they  baptized  in  the  wilder.-.ess,  or  in 
the  town;  or  went  into  the  house,  like  Ananias  did,  wh-nhe  b..p- 
tized  brother  Saul  ;  see  Acts  9,  17?  or  any  other  place.  For,  even 
if  they  had  baptized  in  the  middle  of  J.trdan,  or  ui  the  middle  of 
the  water,  it  would  no  more  shew  what  was  the  mode  of  baptism, 
than  if  it  had  been  done  in  the  middle  of  the  wilden.esy,  or  in  the 
middle  of  the  floor  of  the  house. 

A,nd,  therefore,  instead  of  thinking  we  have  learaedj  that^  we 


'242 

must  always,  in  alt  circnms<ances,  go  down  to,  or  into,  tlie  watci:, 
(o  baptize,  and  that  baptism  cannot  be  rightly  performed  without;  so 
doingj  we  should  learn  that  it  is  our  di;ty  to  baptize  in,  or  at  any 
place,  wherever  there  is  people  to  whoui  we  can  preach,  and  that 
ought  to  be  baptized,:  whether  in  the  wilderness,  or  in  the  town,  or 
i,n  the  country,  or  at  the  camp-ground,  or  in  the  meeting  house,  or  in 
a  dwelling  house,  or  in  a  jail,  at  home,  or  from  home,  by  t!ic 
way-side,  or  at  the  river-side,  or  by  the  branch -side,  or  in  the 
\yater,  if  the  circumstances  of  the  case  require  it,  even  i(  we  should 
get  wet  ;  for  we  are  not  to  neglect  our  duty  for  fear  of  getting  wet, 
or  through  fear  of  wetting  others.  But  let  us  never  contend,  tb.at 
baptism  cannot  be  riglilly  performed  without  going  down  to.  or  into 
the  water.  Nor  for  any  other  of  the  mere  circumstances  attending 
the  case  ;  for  this  is  really  neglecting  tho  main  matter,  and  con- 
tending; for  a  nothing. 

It  would  be  just  as  wise  and  riglit  to  contend  that  baptism  can- 
not be  performed  rightly,  usiless  it  bi'  done  in  the  wildernes?,  or  in 
utown,  even  the  town  Bethabara,  or  in  any  other  place,  to  ilie  utter 
exclusion  of  all  other  places  ',  as  to  contend  tliat  it  must  be  dune  at, 
or  in  the  water,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  other  pl;iccs. 

I  shall  now  conclude  thei-e  remarks  by  observing,  that  no  one 
has  any  right  to  think,  from  these  words,  in  Jordan,  into  the  water, 
and  out  of  the  water,  that  ever  John  the  Baptist  i/.-tnierscd  &ny  per- 
;  on  '^  all;  or  that  Philip  j?7imersec/ the  Eunuch,  or  any  other  person; 
Oi  (;'nt  it  is  ihe  duty  of  any  one  to  go  down  lo  the  water,  or  into  the 
>vater  to  baptize,  or  to  b(f  baptized  j  es<ept  wiierc  the  circumstances 
of  Ihe  case  might  happen  to  refjyire  them  to  go  tlown  to,  or  into  the 
Waterj  and  that  the  baptism  cannot  be  performed  as  conveniently, 
VVithout  going  down  to,  or  into  the  water.  On  these  conditions,  I 
think,  it  would  be  right  and  proper  to  go  down  to,  (  r  even  into  the 
^ater  ;  otherwise,  in  my  judgnnent,  there  would  be  neither  right, 
sjense,  nor  duty  in  it. 

N.  But,  before  we  leave  those  little  Greek  word?,  I  wish  you 
to  fulfil  your projAiise,  to  shew  that  the  Greek  wriier«idid  not  mean 
to  represent,  or  express,  in  the  cases  of  John  and  Plnlip,  what  we,  in 
English,  mean  by  the  words,  in,  into,  and,  out  of.  For,  truly,  it 
\yould  seem  as  if  there  was  no  certainty,  where  those  little  words 
are  used,  when  they  really  went  iw,  orwento?//,  in  any  case  whate- 
ver j  seeing  they  are  so  variously  translated.  As,  in  John  20,  3,  4, 
^here  it  is  said.  »•  thev  came,  to,  the  !-e|  ulchre  ;  and  csiwe  first,  to 
t)ie  sepulchre  :"  and  ttie  5th  verse  says,  "  yet  went  he  not  in,"  But 
^e  6th  verse  says  "  And  went,  into,  the  sepulchre."    Now,  how 


o4.r, 


ai\i  \vc  i.0  kijtc.v  certainly,  when  they   came  oiiiy   lo  it  ',  and  wlieii 
Ihey  went  really  info  it  ? 

A.  Very  well  ;  it  is  the  very  same  Greek  word  (eis^)  in  thos'e 
places,  translated,  to,  and  ulso,  into. 

But  in  that  last  place,  and  in  all  similar  cases,  when  the  Greek 
Writers  really  meant  to  express,  or  shew  that  they  went  in,  or  went 
out,  as  we  mean  by  these  English  words,  thev  did  it  with  as  mucFi 
precision  and  certainty,  as  we  can  do  it  in  English.  In  the  Greek 
lan<^iiage,  tliere  is  always  something  added,  to  give  the  certainty;^ 
and,  in  all  places  where  the  Greek  writers  have  not  added  sojne 
thing  to  determine  their  moaning,  you  may  translate  these  little 
words,  just  as  you  please,  so  as  to  give  the  sense  in  English,  a6*- 
cording  to  the  connection  in  which  they  stand,  and  the  matter  to 
be  communicated  ^  observing,  also,  to  make  your  English  read 
smoothly. 

These  little  Greek  words,  are  sometimes  used  in  composition 
with  other  words,  and  sometimes  not;  that  is,  sometimes  they  are  h 
part  of  other  words,  and  sometimes  they  are  no  part  of  another  word', 
but  they  are  words  themselves.  And,  when  they  are  joined  to  ano- 
ther word,  this  joining  to  the  other  word,  often  determines  the  cer- 
tainty;  and,  if  it  be  joined  to  another  Word,  and  then  also  put  after 
that  word,  as  a  distinct  word  itself,  this  repeating  the  little  word, 
always  determines  the  certainty.  But,  if  it  be  used  as  an  tndev 
pendent  word  by  itself,  without  repeating,  and  without  being  a  pat^t 
of  another  word,  you  may  translate  it  as  you  please,  so  as  to  give 
the  sense,  in  good  English,  according  to  the  case  and  connexion  in 
which  it  stands. 

And  now,  for  an  example,  take  John  20,  4,  "  And  came  first 
to  the  sepulchre."  Greek,  kai  elthe  protos  eis  to  mneraeion.  Herej 
eis  stands  by  itself  as  an  independent  word,  and  is  rightly  translat- 
ed, to,  5th  verse,  "  yet  went  not  in."  Greek,  ou  mentoi  eiselthen'. 
Here,  eis,  is  a  part  of  the  word  eiseltlien,  which  should  have  been 
translated,  went  in,  or  into,  it  the  word  ou,  not,  had  not  been 
there.  6th  verse,  "and  went  into  the  sepulchre."  Greek,  kai 
else! then  eis  to  mnemeion.  Eiselthen  eis  ;  here,  eis,  is  repeated  or 
used  tvvice;  once,  as  apart  of  the  word  e.iseltlien  ;  and,  again,  as  a 
v.'ord  itself.  Which  determines  that  Peter  went  into  the  SepuT- 
chre.  Another  example,  Acts  9,  17;  Where  Ananias  went  tt> 
baptize  Saul  :  "  And  entered  into  the  house."  Greek,  kai  eselthen 
eis  ten  oikian — Eselthen  eis.  Here,  it  is  repeated,  which  determines 
that  Ananias  went  into  the  house.  And  so,  of  all  cases,  when  the 
Greek  writers  did  mean  to  express  what  we  mean  by  those  words. 
Bat  those  four  little  words  are  Used,  in  all  tlse  places  about  John  artd 


244 

Philip's  hajHJaiu,  witiuii:^  iiny  sadi  I'otermination.  And.  therefore, 
tJ!',- Greek  writers  did  not  intend  to  express  wh.it  we  Riis^'ish mm 
tne;:n  by,  in  Junior.,  into  the  w.iter  For,  if  they  haii  meant  the 
same  thing,  they  woiihi  iiave  deteriniiied  it.  And,  t'nerefore,  its  the 
Ciises  ot  John  and  i^hiiip.  those  words  ou^htto  havebeeii  translided, 
auov  by  Jordan,  and  to  the  water,  and  from  the  water  ;  instead  o.f 
hi.  and  z'/i/o, and  oul  oJ\  the  water,  for  the  sake  of  a  critically  just 
translation. 

And,  whoever  will  take  the  time  and  care  to  exdinine  into 
these  points,  will  find  tuli  conviction  ot  the  irath  of  it,  except  hi;3 
iliind  should  be  warped  some  (ttlier  way,  before  he  begins  the  exa- 
mination. But  those  words,  even  if  taken  according  to  the  prei^eni 
translation  of  the  Bible,  have  noiliing  to  do  with  the  mode  of  bap- 
tism ;  but  they  only  shew  the  places  where  they  baptized,  as  has 
been  abeady  said. 

Is.  You  have  said  that  sprinklino;  is  the  proper  mode  of  bap- 
tism. How  do  you  make  it  appear  that  sprinkling  is  the  propei* 
mode  ? 

A.  In  order  to  understand  this  matter  satisfactorily,  It  ghoislL^ 
;be  stated,  that  the  church,  under  the  Jewish  dispviisation,  has  been 
cniled  t!ie  good  olive  tree;  and  it  is  the  same  ciiurch,  or  dive  tree, 
under  theChnstian  dispeO'^i^fio'^J-  "^^^^  '^f"'^  "P''*"  called  the  natu- 
ral bisnrl.ac  i.f  fhia  ..'.j-.g  ^j.^g^  becauSe  the  church  was  confined  to 
the  Jewish  nation,  while  the  Jewish  dispensation  lasted.  But,  when 
Che  death  ol  Christ  broke  down  the  middle  wall  of  partition  between 
Jcv.'s  and  Gentiles,  the  church  was  extended  to  the  Gentiles  as  well 
as  tiie  Jews,  under  the  Christian  dispensation,  and  the  Gentiles 
were  called  the  wild  olive  branches.  And,  when  tiie  Jews  crucified 
and  rejected  Christ,  aad  were  dispersed  aiuong  other  nations,  tiien 
v/ere  said  to  be  broken  oil' from  the  church,  or  olive  tree  ;  and  tiie 
Gentiles,  that  believed  in  Christ,  and  to  whom  tiie  Apostles  turned 
and  preaclicci  the  Gospel,  were  said  to  be  grafted  into  the  ciiurch  ov 
olive  tree:  and  it  is  saitt  that  the  time  is  coming  when  the  fullness  of 
the  Gentiles  shiili  be  come  in;  and  so  all  Israel  sliall  be  saved.  Then 
the  Jews,  the  natural  briiuches,  uili  be  i^rafted  into  the  c'lurch,  ihoir 
own  olive  tree  ?  (or  God  is  able  to  graft  them  in  again.  See  ivam. 
1  1th  chap,  and  Er.li.  i?,    i  !— -19. 

V\'hei  clorc.  wg  aie  to  iinderst;;nd  that  the  church  is  one  and  the 
.•>aii)e  church,  undt'r  b(;th  the  J  i' wish  and  ihe  Chris  dan  dispensations, 
and  that  tiiei  e  is  a  v  i!s!  tiiiaigenient  ot  the  Cliui  ch  under  the  Christian 
dispensation;  tor,  then,  it  is  extended  loail  nations,  Jews  and  Gentiles. 
Vnd  that  theie  was  tiien  tube  a  great  a!le\iation  of  the  burden!'  im- 
posed (:M  them,  ti'.e  ,!cwi-h  church.  i;!i'.i!  (lie.  time  of  reformation,   or 


245 

uiitil  tlie  dealli  of  Cliri*!,  sv'nich  ended  the  Jewish  dispensaiiouj  anj, 
at  wliich  lime,  the  Ciiristian  dispensation  began.  See  lleb.  9,  10, 
1 1.  And,  at  thatsane  time  was  ti*  begin  a  very  great  enlargement  of 
its  privileges  and  blessings,  under  the  Chiistian  dispensation. 

Circumcision  was  one  of  the  burdens  from  which  the  church  was 
relieved^  and  baptism  was  one  of  the  privileges  b)  which  the  church 
was  to  be  benefitted,  under  the  Christian  dispensation.  And  con- 
sequently, both  Jews  and  Gentiles  are  to  receive  baptism,  as  the 
rite  by  which  both  are  to  be  admitted  into  the  Christian  church. 
For,  except  a  man  be  born  of  water,  baptized,  and  of  the  Spirit,  he 
cannot  enter  into  the  Kin'jdom  of  God,  or  Christian  church.  John 
3,  5.  And,  whereas  the  church  is  one  and  the  same  church,  under 
both  dispensations,  there  were  many  things  in  use  under  the  Jewish 
dispensation,  which  were  types  of  things  that  were  to  be  under  the 
Christian  dispensation.  And  much  infornution  was  given  to  the 
church  under  the  farmer,  in  reference  to  itself,  under  the  latter 
dispensation. 

The  paschal  lamb  was  a  type  of  Christ,  and  the  sprinkling  of 
ihe  blood  of  the  paschal  iamb  on  the  doors,  represented  the  sprink- 
ling of  the  blood  of  Christ.  See  Ex.  12,  3—7.  Hebrews  11,  28. 
Ist  Peter,  1,  2.  Heb.  12,  24.  And  many  others  of  their  divers 
s-prinklings  of  blood,  repiesented  the  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Je- 
sus Ciirist.  lleb.  9,  13,  14.  ''  For,  if  the  blood  of  bulls  and- 
of  goats,  and  the  ashes  of  an  heifer,  sprinkling  the  unclean,  sancti- 
iieth  to  ihe  purifying  of  the  flesh  ;  how  much  more  shall  the  blood 
of  Christ,  who,  through  the  eternal  Spirit,  offered  himself,  without 
spot,  to  God — purge  your  conscience  from  dead  works,  to  serve  the 
living  God? — 18,  26.  Wjiereupon,  neither  the  first  Testament 
was  dedicated  without  blood.  For,  when  Moses  had  spoken  every 
precept  to  ail  the  people  according  to  the  law,  he  took  tlie  blood  qf 
ealves,  and  of  goats,  wiih  water,  and  scarlet  wool,  and  hyssop,  and 
sprinkled  bot!i  the  book  and  all  tiie  people,  saying,  This  is  the  blood 
of  the  Testament  which  God  hath  enjoined  unto.  you.  Moreover,, 
he  sprinkled  likewise  with  blood,  both  the  Tabernacle  and  all  the 
vessels  of  toe  ministry.  And  almost  all  thin-iS  .re,  by  the  law, 
purged  with  blood  ,  and,  without  shedding  of  bh.hod,  is  no  reniissiom 
It  was,  tiierefore,  necessary  tiiat  the  patterns  of  the  things  in  the  hea- 
vens should  be  purifieii  wiih  these;  but  the  heavenly  thing-sthemselvcSj 
with  better  sacrifices  than  ihese.  Fur  Ciirist  is  not  entered  into 
the  holy  places  mide  with  hands,  which  are  the  figutes  of  the  trne  <; 
but,  into  heaven  it-.-elf,  now  to  appear  ia  the  preseuct;  g\  God  for  us  ; 
nor  yet  that  he  shouiii  offer  himself  oifen,  as  the  Hii::h  Priest  enter^'th 
Ftilo  the  holy  place  every  vear  v>ith  blood  of  "ihers;  ^for  tiien  rni>=l, 
U2  '   ' 


-J4.-6 


suiVcreii  siace  the  foaiulauon  of  the  world  ;)  but  now^ 
once  in  the  etid  of  the  world  hath  he  '•  apjieared  to  put  away  sin  by 

i.he  sacrifice  of  hisnsclf."     See,  al-io,  Ex.   24,  3 — 8.     Levit.  8,  1 

30.  Levit.  !4,  4— 27.  •  Num.  19,2—20.  Thus,  it  is  pUiin  thai 
•ihe  Jewish  sprinkling  of  i!ie  ujiclean  to  the  purifying  of  the  fleshj 
with  blood,  represented  the  sprinkling;  of  t'wa  blood  of  Christ, 
which  purgeth  the  conscience  from  dead  works,  to  serve  the  living 
God. 

]\ut  tlcre  is  a  uifierence  between  (hose  of  Israel  who  were  ce- 
temoiiiaiiy  cleansed  and  setapartfor  some  particular  purpose;  soch 
iis  the  priests;  Levit.  8,  2—14  ;  and  also  the  Levites  ;  Numbers  8, 
7—18.  And  those  ihat  became  unclean  by  some  particular  defile- 
iiient,  as  in  Num.  19.  But  even  these  were  purified  by  the  sprink- 
ling of  blood  and  the  ashes  of  an  heifer,  or  sanctified  to  the  purify- 
ing of  the  flesh:  and  the  water  rather  represented  them  as  being  ce- 
remonially clean  ;  although  the  water  was  sometimes  used  in  purify- 
ing them. 

But  there  appears  to  have  been  alavv  m  fsrael,  given  by  Moses. 
Exod;  19.  S — 8.  and  24.  ;n— 8,  to  which  Paul  moie  particularly 
refers,  in  Heb.  9.  19  :  "Now,  therefore,  if  ye  will  obey  my  voice 
indeed,  and  keep  my  covenant,  then  \e  shall  be  a  peculiar  trea- 
sure unto  me  above  all  people;  arid  ye  shall  be  unto  me  a  kingdom 
of  priests,  and  an  holy  nation.  And  all  the  people  answered  toge- 
ther and  said,  All  that  the  Lord  hath  spoken  we  will  do."  And 
"when  Moses  had  spoken  every  precept  to  all  the  people,  accord- 
ing to. the  law,  he  ro.ik  the  blood  of  calves  and  of  goats,  with  water, 
and  scarlet  wool,  anil  iiys-sop,  and  sprinkled  bith  the  book  and  all 
the  people,  saying,  This  is  the  blood  of  the  ♦'C'jvenant  or  Testa- 
ment, which  God  hath  enjoini'd  onto  you,"  &:c.  Heb.  9.  19.  By 
the  sprinkling  of  the  blood,  which  represented  the  sprinklirg  of 
the  blood  of  Chrisr,  they  were  purified  or  made  clean  ;  and  the 
sprinkling;  them  with  water,  repre>ented  the  people  as  being  clean, 
according  to  the  law. 

And,  now  I  wish  to  remark,  that  the  Christian  baptism  is  a  sa- 
cred  ceremonial  washing,  witii  water,  lu   the  name  of  the   Father, 
'  and  of  th'   Son,  and  of  ti.e  Koly  Glu.sr.     Matth.  28,  19. 

And  tliev  wlio  are  baptized  into  Jesuv  Clrist,  are  baptized  into 
his  death.  R mi.  6.  3.  Th.e  Christian  baptism  represents  that  the 
person  is,  or  has  been,  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  Arts  J.  S. 
Or  it  lepresentsthe  washing;  of  regeneration,  and  the  renewing  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  Tit.  3.  5.  Arni,  ala  >,  t^e  spriiikl  ng  of  -he 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  whic!)  nurgeth  the  c-.nscience  from  dead 
\9iki)   to  serve   the  living  God.     I  Peter  I.  2.      Heo.  9.   14, 


i 


2A.7 

Or  it  is  not  the  putting  away  the  filtli  of  the  flesh;  but  tiie  an- 
swer of  a  g{>.>;l  cttiscieilce  t')^Vll•d  -i.)}.  Or  it  represents  the  p.T- 
son  as  being  a  Christian,  and  pardoned  on  account  of  the  atonemcut 
oJ  Christ-;  and  this  is  one  thing  meant  by  beiii^  baptized  in'j) 
his  death. 

Tiie  Jewish  public  ceremonial  wasliings  with  water,  or  ban 
lisms,  were  performed  by  sprinkling  the  water  on  the  subjects.  The 
Levites  were  sprinkled.  Num.  8.  7.  Aiid  Moses  sprinkled  bot!i 
the  book  and  all  tiie  people  witn  water,  as  well  as  with  blood-  .Sec 
Heo.  9.  19.  And  ihis  was  the  law  in  I,rael  m  all  cases  when  the 
people  were  oaptizvd  or  washed  by  the  priests.  And  no  case  ap. 
pears  to  the  contiary.  unless  we  should  except  sons  case  of  particu- 
lar deftletnent  oi'do-'hes  or  vessels.  And,  in  cases  of  defilement, 
the  water  was  o-enerally  sprinkled  on  the  article  whatever  it  rai"iit 
be.  Bat  tiie  people  were  always  sprinkled.  And,  therefore,  when 
-Jo  .a  fhe  Baptist,  who  was  a  Levitical  priest,  came  baptizin;r  with 
water,  hemu^t  have  sprinkled  the  people  with  the  water  ;  otherwise 
he  would  have  transgressed  the  law,  instead  of  making  the  v/ay 
straight. 

This  Jewish  ceremonial  sprinkling  with  water,  was  a  sign,  or 
public  representation  of  ceremonial  cleanness.  And,  as  the  sprink- 
ling of  blood,  represented  the  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Christ;  so 
the  sprinkling  of  water,  represeiited  the  Christian  baptism,  which 
was  to  be  performed  by  sprinkling  ;  and  is  the  sign  of  moral 
cleanness. 

Therefore,  when  Christ  instituted  the  Christian  baptism,  aftel> 
his  resurrection, and  authorized  the  Apostles  to  go  and  baptize  all 
nations  ;  these  Apostles,  being  Jews,  well  acquainted  with  the  Jew- 
ish Sprinkling,  and  not  being  ordeied  to  the  c  mtrary,  wou'd  vei'y 
naturally  and  reasonably,  and  it  was  their  duty  to  go,  an  ■  perforui 
their  baptisms  by  sprinkling;  even  if  there  had  been  no  oV)er  infor- 
mation on  the  subject  than  tiie  Jewish  legal  sprinkling. 

But  the  \posfles  were  acquainted  witii  further  evidence,  which 
had  been  given  by  the  Prophets,  who  !>ad  foretold  that  the  Christian 
baptism  should  be  performed  by  sprinkling. 

For,  Isaiah  5-2.  13 — 15,  foretold  the  cooing  of  Christ,  and, 
said,  "  Behold  mv  servanr  s  tall  deal  prudently  ;  he  shall  be  exalt- 
ed and  ex:ol'ed,  and  be  very  high.  As  tnany  were  astonished  at 
thee;  (his  visage  was  so  marred  mor^^  than  any  man,  and  his  fnrm 
more  than  the  sons  of  men  ; )  so  shall  he  sprinkle  many  n  ition^." 

This  propliecy  was  piain  enoug'  ;  and  not  beinxi  told  to  he 
copirary,  the  Apostles,  who  vyeie  Jews,  and  sent  by  Christ  to  bap- 


ii48 

tize  all  uattous,  would  naturally  understaiul  both  Clirist  and  isai-' 
all,  that  they  were  sent  to  baptize  all  nations,  by  sprinkling  thc:a 
with  water.  For  they  would  reasonably  understand  Isaiah,  that 
Christ  should  sprinkle  many  nations  both  with  water  and  wit'i  the 
blood  of  sprinkling,  which  spsaketh  batter  things  than  that  of  Abel. 
Ileb.  1^2.  24. 

And,  whereas  the  Apostles  knew  tliat  the  Jews,  that  is,  both 
the  house  of  Judah  and  the  House  of  Israel,  were  to  b^;  gathered 
from  all  countries  into  their  own  land,  and  be  grafted  into  their  own 
olive  tree,  the  church,  under  the  Christian  disp.ensation,  they  would 
natarally  understand  Ezekiel,  36.  24,  '2G,  as  meaning  the  same 
thing  with  Isaiah,  as  it  respected  the  two  kingdoms  of  Judah  and 
Israel.  '•  For  I  will  take  you  IVom  among  the  headien,  and  gither 
you  out  of  all  countries,  and  will  bring  you  into  your  own  land. 
Then  will  I  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  yo\i,  and  ye  shall  be  clean  : 
from  all  your  filtliiness,  and  froai  all  your  idols,  wijl  I  cleanse  you. 
A  new  heart  also  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put  with- 
in you,  and  I  will  take  away  the  stoney  iicartoutof  your  flesh,  and 
1  will  give  you  an  heart  of  ilesli."  Now  the  Apostles  could  have  no 
doubt  but  this  meant  the  same  thing  as  being  born  of  water  and  of 
the  Spirit;  or  beins;  baptized  with  water  and  born  of  thoSpin'j  and, 
in  this  way,  they  were  to  be  admitted  into  the  Ciiristian  Church,  or 
grafted  into  iheir  own  olive  tree  again,  by  being  sprinkled  with 
clean  water. 

And  Paul  has  reference  to  the  same  thing;  Heb.  10.  22;  when 
he  says  to  the  Hebrews — "  Let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in 
full  assurance  of  faith,  having  our  hearts  spriukled  from  an  evil 
ctmiclence,  and  our  bodies  waslK'd  with  pure  v/ater. "  For  baptism 
is  a  sacred  ceremonial  washintj  with  water,  which  is  to  be  performed 
by  sprinkling  water  on  the  boily,  in  distinction  from  the  heart, 
^vhich  is  to  be  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  by  the  blood  of 
sprinkling,  which  speaketh  better  things  than  that  of  Abel.  He- 
brews 12.    24. 

Paul,  who  had  been  trained  up  at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel,  knew  ex- 
actly wiiat  was  meant  by  the  divers  ceremonial  washings  of  the  He- 
brews; (ur  baptisms,  in  the  Greek  Testament,  baptismois,  Heb.  9, 
10  ;)  and,  as  he  was  writing  to  the  Hebrews,  he  expected  to  make 
them  understand  what  he  meant  by  having  their  bodies  washed  with 
pure  or  clean  water;  for  he  allowed  them  to  understand  tliat  he 
meant  the  same  that  their  own  Prophets  meant.  That  is,  sprinkled 
with  clean  water,     lizekiel  '36.  25. 

We  may  fee!  confident  that  this  is  the  truthof  the  matter  ;  be- 
cause the  Prophet  Fizekiel  was  speaking  of  the  hou^e  of  Israel  antl 


M3 

L)f  Judah  botii,  and  he  says  thai  they  shall  be  rprinkiod  with,  clfaa 
water;  affer  (hpv  arp.  brought  back  ialo  thp'ir  n>vn  liivL  Bit  the 
iiouse  of  Israel,  or  the  fen  tribes  of  Fsra'I  that  were  carrifd  avvay 
by  Shalmanezer,  Kino;  of  As=!vria,  b'^fitre  the  Pro!->he<-  Ez'^k'el  was 
born,  lias  never  vet  returned  unto  their  own  lari'ianil  h'tv"  m;>'"  vet 
been  sprinkled  accordlns;  to  th  !<■  nrno'iecv.  \.t).  althoijoi)  the 
house  of  Judah  returned  from  the  Bibvloni'^h  cantivitv.  vet  they 
have  not  been  sprinkled  accordinirto  that  nrooh'^cv  :  for  thcv  wpre 
to  besprinkled,  at  the  s;ime  time  v/hen  the  HoiKe  of  Tsriol  shaM  be 
sprinkled.  Wherefore,  both  have  to  be  s;atherpd  vet  inta  their 
own  land,  and  g;rafted  into  their  own  olive  free,  the  Christian  Church, 
bv  being  baptized  with  the  Christian  baptism,  which  is  to  be  r>er- 
fornied  by  sprinkling  clean  water  upon  thera,  that  they  may  be 
clean. 

And  now  I  wish  to  t^ake  a  few  observatiotis  on  Mark  the  Tih 
o — 8.  "  For  the  Pharisees,  and  all  the  Jews,  exf'f^nt  they  vi^ash  theiii 
hands  oft,  eat  not.  holding  the  tradition  of  the  Elders. 

4th.  v«  "And  when  they  corae  from  the  market,  except  they 
wash,  they  eat  not.  And  many  other  things  there  be  which  they 
have  received  to  hold,  as  the  washing  of  eaps,  and  pots,  and  bra- 
zen vessels,  and  tables, 

"  -^ths  T))?"  ^'^°  Phi^Tiseos  and  Scribes  asked  him.  Why  v/alfi 
^lot  thy  discipies  according  io  the  tradition  of  the  Elders,  but  c^i- 
bread  with  unwashen  hands  ? 

"  Gth.  Me  answered  and  said  unto  them,  Well  hath 
Esaias  prophesied  of  you  hypocrites,  as  it  is  written.  This  people 
honoreth  me  with  their  lips,  but  their  heart  is  far  from  me. 

"  rth.  Howbeit,  in  vain  do  they  worship  me,  teaching  for 
doctrines  thecommandmcnts  of  men. 

"  8th.  For,  laying  aside  the  comniandments  of  God,  ye  hold 
the  tradition  of  men,  as  the  washing  of  pots  and  cups  ;  and  many 
other  such  like  things  ye  do," 

Now,  note. —  The  Jewish  law  required  sprinkling  ;  except  iu 
some  cases  of  pirticulav  defilement. 

And  the  Priests  were  commanded  to  v/ash  their  hands  at  the 
brass  laver.  Exodus  30,  IS,  19.  But  the  Jews  l\ad  no  such  com- 
nsand,  except  in  cases  of  particular  defilement,  to  wasii  their  hands 
before  they  eat,  or  tlieir  cups,  pots,  brazen  vessels,  or  tables. 

But  liie  Pharisees  and  ail  the  Jews,  svithout  any  coaimand  of 
(sod,  had  become  so  religious  m  tlieir  own  way,  as  to  make  voi<l 
fhe  commaiids  (if  God.  They  ioiitated  tiie  Priests,  but  they  applied 
the  water  to  wrong  objects,  their  hands  and  household  cups,  pois, 
&c.     And,  alao,  they  applied  the  water  m  a  wrong  mode  j  that  is, 


250 

ill  their  ct-Uimou  ua>  of  wasliinK  dirtj  hands  auu  ctps  ;  •.>.!.(!  not  hf 
spruiLUng,  uliich  was  the  lawful  mode.  ^, 

For,  '•  excejit  thpv  wash  their  hands  off."  In  the  Gi-eek  Tos-  -1' 
taioent.  pugme  nipsontai;  from  niptci,  to  wash.  VV'liich  is  the  vvird 
Used  tor  their  common  washings;  ami,  sfJ  far  as  [  have  s°en,  it  is  ni^'- 
ver  used  to  express  ceremonial  washing;-,  except  by  pervrrsioii  ;  nsiiu 
the  case  now  before  us.  Pugnie  nip-iuntai  ;  they  wash  oft.  The 
won]  pua;me,  translated,  oft,  is,  in  the  La^n  Testament,  pua,in3tim, 
stroHiily,  or  like  a  wrestler,  or  like  a  boxer.  "Si  non  pnu;illatini 
laveriiit  manus."  If  they  do  not  wash  their  hands  strongly,  mu<b, 
or  miijht^ly,  or  like  a  wrestler,  or  like  a  boxer.  And  this  is  t!u*  true 
meaning  of  the  wor<]  in  the  Greek  Testanient.  And  yet  those  Jew 
ish  hypocrites  pretended  fo  use  their  common  mode  of  washing  their 
dirty  hands,  as  a  religious  ceremonial  washing. 

For,  in  the  next  verse,  "  when  they  come  from  the  market,  ex- 
cept they  wash,  they  eat  not;"  (Baptisontai,  baptize,)  and,  as  the 
washing;  (Baptismous,  baptisms;)  "  of  cups  and  pots,"  &c. 

And,  verse  5,  '<  Why  walk  not  thy  disciples  according  to  the 
tradition  of  the  Elders,  but  eat  bread  with  unwashen  hands?"  (Anip- 
tois;  unwashen,  from  nipto.)  8th  veise  ;  "  Ye  hold  the  tradition 
of  men,  as  the  washing"  (baptismous,  baptisms)  '♦  of  pots  and  cups  f 
and  many  other  such  like  things  ye  do." 

It  is  plain,  therefore,  that  the  Pharisees  and  all  the  Jews  per- 
verted their  mode  of  common  washing,  into  a  religious  ceremonial 
^5'ashing. 

Wherefore,  Christ  rebuked  them  severely  ;  1st.  For  imitating 
the  Priests.  2nd.  For  applying  ceremonial  washing  to  improper 
objects,  their  hands  and  household  vessels,  when  they  had  not  been 
seremonially  defiled  ;  and,  iid.  For  perverting  or  changing  the 
made  of  ceremonial  washing,  from  sprinkling,  which  was  tlie  lawful 
mode,  to  their  co.nmoa  node  of  waT,hi!ig  dirty  h.mds  and  vessels  : 
which  vvasstrongly,  or  like  a  wrestler,  ic.  And  tlien  he  went  on 
and  rebuked  tlie.m  about  their  corbau,  and  other  tiungs. 

And,  now,  frien.i  N.,  as  yMU  urulerstaaJ  Greek,  I  will  call  up 
two  or  three  other  Greek  words,  from  tiie  Greek  Testament.  I  have 
said,  that  Nipto,  to  wash,  is  used  to  signify  common  washing  of 
hands,  &C.5  and  is  not  used  tosignify  cerc^m onial  washing,  except 
by  piMversiun,  as  in  the  cases  above.  But.  luo,  or  abluo,  signifies 
to  wash  away,  to  exjuate,  to  purify,  to  rcmcSve,  to  blot  out,  either 
by  w. iter  or  pardon,  or  any  oilier  way.  And  it,  is  u>ed  to  signify 
bolii  common  cleansing,  a;id  cere-nyirul  or  religious  cleansing. 

And,  bapto,  ur  bapiid/.o,  (o  baptize,  signifu'S  to  was!*,  in  any 
mafiuer  wnatever  •:  a-,    to  inlitige, ,  to  immerse^  to  nnse,  to   bathe. 


■25i 

to  spiiuklc.  t(>  pcur,  to  dip,  even  the  tip  of  liis  finger  in  water  .| 
Luke  I'd.  '24  ;  or  his  iiand  in  the  dish.  Matth.  26.  23.  But  it  is 
most  commonly  used  to  signify  ceremonial  washing,  or  bapti'/.iiij^  ; 
hut  does  not  signify  or  express  any  particular  mode  of  wasliinj^  or 
I)aptiz,ii!g.  But,  when  the  particular  mode  of  ceremonial  washiu'^, 
or  of  baptizing,  is  to  be  expressed,  another  Greek  word  is  used, 
which  is  rantid/,0. 

Rantidzn,  to  sprinkle,  is  tlie  word  employed  to  express  the 
priiciilar  mode  of  ceremonial  washing.  This  is  the  word  used  in 
ilie  Greek  Testament,  in  every  place,  where  the  word  sprink'e  oc- 
-  cjjrs  in  the  English  Testansent,  whether  it  be  of.  the  spiinkling  oF 
blood  or  of  water  ;  as  in  [ieb.  9.  19.  And,  the  Bible  has  been 
siifiicionti}'  careful  to  inform  us  that  sprinkling  was  the  Jewish  mode, 
under  tin-  Jewish  tlispensation  ;  and  that  sprinkling  should  be  the 
mmle  of  baptism  under  tlie  Christian  dispensation.  It  was,  there- 
fore, a  perversion  of  the  mode  of  ceremonial  washing,  to  apply 
the  water  in  any  oth.er  m.anner  than  sprinkling.  And,  for  which 
perversion  cf  tiic  mode,  the  Jews  received  a  rebuke  from  Christ  ',  for 
th.cy  had  learned  this  perversion  of  the  mode  from  thp  tradition  <>F 
men,   but  r.ot  from  any  command  of  God,  in  the  Old  Testament. 

Now,  John  the  Baptist  was  a  Jewish  or  Levifjcal  P.icst,  and, 
as  a  Priest,  he  had  a  right,  and  it  was  his  duty,  according  to  the  la.v, 
to  apply  thft '.rater  by  sprinkling,  in  all  his  ceremonial  washings  oi: 
baptisms;  and,  if  he  baptiz-ed  with  water,  in  any  other  mode  than 
sprinkling,  he  transgressed  the  law  of  God,  except  he  had  received 
from  God  a  contrary  order;  v^hich  order  no  where  appears.  But,  no 
mode  of  baptism  could  have  transgressed  the  law,  more  than  immer- 
sion. Ijnmc-rsion  surely  would  have  been  washing  sirongly,  or  like 
a  wrestler,  or  like  a  boxer,  sure  enough  ;  for  which  he  would  have 
deserved  a  rebuke,  worse  than  that  rebuke  which  Christ  gave  to  the 
Jews.  For  it  would  have  been  a  misfeasance  in  his  priestly  office. 
Immersion  would  liavebeen  a  transgression  of  the  commandment  of 
God,  or  the  Jewish  law  ;  but  1  have  already  shewn  that  a  Jury 
could  not  have  found  John  guilty  :  for  there  is  no  evidence  that  he 
had  ever  committed  immersion. 

And,  also,  the  Apostles,  who  were  Jews,  had  no  more  right  to 
transgress  the  commandment  of  God,  or  Jewish  law,  under  the 
Christian  dispensation,  than  under  the  Jewish,  without  or<iers;  which 
orders  no  where  appear  :  and  they  would  have  deserved  a  rebuke 
as  severe  as  that  given  to  ;he  Jews.  And,  whereas  no  iDTimatioa 
has  been  given  to  the  contrary,  we  may  feel  certain  that  Christ 
oneant,  and  the  Apostles  followed  sprinkling,  as  the  proper  n.(i'e<;if 
Ciiristian  baptism;  which  mode  had  been  so  long  in  u-se  as  a  J^i^/yisK 


■25& 

ceretaaii;;ii  uashing^  with  water,  and  which  Lad  been  so  iong^iud  '^o 
ex|)re.ss!j  toretoici  by  [saiah  and  Kzekicl,  thtit  Chrisi  should  sprint 
k!e  many  naiious;  and  ti.at  (he  Jevstbalt  be  s^nriiikled  with  clean 
M'dter,  and  be  clean,  which  has  yi't  to  be  fuiniled. 

it  CiTirist  had  sent  the  AposfUs  to  immerse  all  nations,  bg 
vvoiJid  have  contr«ditted  thosf  Pii.phfts  ;  for  they  feiiid  he  would 
iprinkle  many  na'ioris.  K<im,  if  ail  were  tu  bt*  ininit'ised,  no  one 
could  be  spnnkied  witli  clean  water,  aiui  be  clean.  Rut,  il  be  did 
not  sffid  the.n  to  immerse  al!  iiafions  ;  he  did  not  send  them  to  iia. 
;nerse  any  one. 

But,  Christ  did  not  intiTul  to  ro'itr;Hlict  thp  Prophetj,  but  he 
•told  tlie  Apustlen,  at  his  if'hi>rrectios,,  ••  'f  l,ji*  ail  ihings  must  be  ful- 
iilled  whicii  were  wr itfen  in  the  'aw  of  M'ses,  and  in  tiie  Prophets^ 
and  in  the  Psalms,  coiirerninp-  nie. "  Luki  24.  S;?,  44.  ''I'e'efore, 
the  Apo'ntles  uere  bound  t\>  perfiM  n>  thAr  bapnsins  bv  sprinklinj;  ; 
ibi  this  was  one  thin{i  wrirten  concerning'- him.  And  it  i-;  a  very 
grc'it  reproach  to  the  charjiCter  ot  Ji>fn  the  Bapti't,  t<>  say  he  itn- 
mirsed  any  one,  !"or  i'  represents  imn  a»  transg  rn^m,^  th.  ^ery  law 
wiiich  he  was  boutid,  by  his  office,  to  niauitain.  And  it  i.*  a  great 
icproach  to  phiup,  to  say,  that  he  imnvr'sed  the  Eunuch  ;  and  to  all 
the  Apostles,  to  say  that  they  immersed  any  one  at  all.  For  it  ro 
presents  them  as  going  contrary  to  the  ProphetSj  without  any  au* 
Ihority. 

Neither  have  wt-  Gentiles  any  more  riirht  than  the  Jews,  to  2:0 
contrary  to  the  Law  and  Prophets  both,  and  follow  the  tradition  ot 
men,  b\  practising  any  other  mode  of  bapti^inj^  with  water,  than  the 
the  nu)de  ut  sprinklinir  ;  and,  if  we  are  preachers,  it  would  be  a 
inisftasance  in  our  priestly  office,  and  we  sJiould  deseive  a  severe 
rebuke. 

N.  Let  me,  in  this  place,  ask  you,  where  should  the  water  be 
applied,  seein*  you  will  not  allow  the  Jcwtita  bap'i/.e  their  iianda? 
A.  The  Jewish  law  waa  particular,  not  only  about  sprinkling, 
as  the  proper  mode;  but  also,  8on>etimea  at  least,  it  pointed  out  iho 
very  spot ;  as  the  horns  ot  the  al'ar,  the  tip  of  rhe  rijrht  eai,  the 
thumb  of  the  right  hf^nd,  the  sreat  M'eof  (he  niih.t  foot,  &c.  And, 
I  think,  it  was  the  iniide  of  the  ve8!*eU  of  the  ministry  i  tor*  if  the 
inside  of  the  cup  and  platter  was  made  clean,  the  outside  would  be 
cledn  in  a  ceremonial  sense. 

Ar?d,  for  the  honor  of  John  the  Btptist,  !  have  shewn  that  he 
would  not  have  immersed  anv  one,:  for,  immersion  would  have  heea 
a  franyjrre'j«ion  cfthe  Jewish  la^^ ;  a!td  he  woul-^  iherehv,  luiveb^  eft 
a  p«u>r  baud  t©  prepare^ the  wa^  tl  thts  Lurd>  aud  make  km  jpatht 
straight. 


253 

Anfl  ujv,  I  will  point  out  the  place  where  the  water  should 
|»e  applied  ui  Christian  baptism  ;  for  a  Christian  minister  nuo;ht  to 
be  a^  particuiar  as  a  Jewish  Priest,  to  foliovv  the  counsels  of  Gml.j 

Ezeiuel  was  taken  in  the  visions  of  Gorl,  to  ancient  Jerusalem; 
aiifl  vas  theie  shewn  all  the  abominations  on  account  of  which  Je- 
lAisilem  was  to  bedestroyed,  and  the  people  to  be  slain,  and  scat- 
tered abroad,  as  they  afterwards  were.  See  his  8th  and  9th  chap- 
ters. But,  in  the  9.  4,  one  with  an  inkhorn,  was  directed  to  go 
throu"-h  the  midst  of  the  cit\',  and  set  a  mark  on  the  Corelieads  of  the 
men  that  si"-hed  and  cried  on  account  of  the  abominations.  And 
■in  the  6th  verse,  none  were  to  Ue  sidin  wiio  had  this  mark. 

A'm\,  E'iekiel,  from  the  40th  to  the  48th  chapter,  and  Revela- 
tions,   21st  and    22od    chapters;  there  is  another  citj    desciibed, 
and  called  the  New  Jerusalem.      This    city  is   a  rep.esenution    of 
what  Jerusalem  shall  be  liereafter,  when  it  will  be    rest<ired    m  the 
time  of  the   xMillennium,  when  the  Jews  shall   be  bio  jj^.it  ini.o 'he 
Christian  Church,  with  the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles,  And  ihe  mark  set 
on  the  f.H-elieads  of  the  men  that  si;;'ied  and  cried  on  account  of  the 
abominations,  represents  tlie  marie  or  seal  to  be  set  upon  the   fore- 
heads of  the  Christians,  Jews  and  Gentiles;  and  they  that  have  this 
mark.,  or  sea!  of  God  in  their  forelieads,   are  not  to  be  hurt.     See 
Rev.  9.  4.     Rev.  7.  2—12..    "  And  I  saw  another  Angel   ascend- 
in"  from  the  East,  having  the  seal  of  the  living  God;"   &.c.     This 
seal  of  God,  is  different  from  the  seven  seals.     Baptism  is,  now,  the 
seal  and  confirmation  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace;  and   it   is  the  seal 
of  God.     And  it  is  to  be  applied  to  the  forehead.     And   he    sealed 
twelve  thousand  of  each  tribe  of  Israel  ;  besides  an    innumerable 
niuUitude  of  all  otlier  nations.     This  seal  of  God,  which  is  baptism^ 
aiid  Exekiel'"?  mark,  agree  very  well;  for  they  that   have  the  mark, 
or  seal,   are  not  to  be  hurt  or  slain;  and   he  that   believeth,   and  is 
baptized,  shall  be  saved.     Butth  ey  who  have  the  mark  of  the  Beast^ 
a-re  to  be  destroyed.     Rev.  14.  9 — 11. 

According  to  the  foregoing,  the  water  should  be  sprinkled  ou 
the  forehead. 

And  this  is  a  very  great  privilege  and  advantage  to  the  Church. 
For,  in  'his  way,  baptism  can  be  administered  at  many  times,  and 
places,  when  aoH  where  immersion  could  not  ;  and,  without  danger 
of  death  or  sickness,  when  the  other  could  not;  as  in  the  case  of 
Paul,  or  Saul,  as  he  was  calh^d  at  that  time.  Saul,  afterwards  called 
Paul,  was  baptized  in  a  house  along  the  street  called  the  Straight 
Street,  in  the  city  of  Damascus.       See  Acts  9.  6 — 18. 

S'lrely,  brother  N. ,  you  wil'  not  m:ikevoid  the  commandments 
t>f  God,  through  the  traditions  of  men,  by  saying  that  Saal  was  im- 


254 

mersed  in  that  liousej  or,  that  he  was  taken  out  of  the  house,  to  soiue 
other  place,  and  was  immersed.  For  the^e  is  not  one  word  intimat- 
ed that  he  was  taken  out  of  the  house  ;  and  he  could  not  have  been 
immersed  in  the  house  ;  there  being  no  preparation,  nor  time  to 
make  preparation  for  immersion.  *'  For,  immediately  there  fell 
from  his  eyes  as  it  had  been  scales  j  and  lie  received  sight  forth- 
with, and  rose,  and  was  baptized."  All  the  circum-tances  of  the 
case  shew,  lliathe  must  liave  been  sprinkled,  according  to  what  has 
been  said  in  the  foregoing  pages.     See,  also,  Acts  22.   10 — 16. 

But  Paul  bapiized  the  jailor,  and  all  his,  straightway,  in  the 
jail,  from  where  they  would  not  go  out ;  because  it  would  have  been 
cantrary  to  the  law,  dishonorable  to  Paul  and  Silas,  and  dangerous 
to  the  jailor,  to  have  went  out.  This  jail  stood  in  Philippi,  a  city 
ofMacedouia.     See  Acts  l6.  12,  40. 

Paul  and  Silas  had  been  taken,  as  evil-doers,  before  the  magis- 
trates, and  had  beon  beaten  and  committed  to  jail,  and  the  jailor 
was  comiuaailed  to  keep  them  safely.  The  jailor,  having  received 
this  legal  charge,  thrust  them  into  the  inner  prison,  and  made  their 
tcc't  fast  in  t'le  stocks.  Niw,  it  was  the  duty  of  Paul  and  Silas  to 
stay  in  the  prison,  as  well  as  the  duty  of  the  jailor  to  keep  them 
safely,  ntil  they  were  liberated  by  proper  authority.  For- they  all 
were  bound  to  submit  to  the  authorities  for  conscience  sake.  Rom. 
13.  S — 5.  But  the  jailor's  life  was  in  danger,  as  well  as  his  con- 
science, il"  he  should  let  them  go  out  of  the  prison  :  wherefore,  when 
he  thoughtthey  were  gone,  he  drew  his  sword  to  kill  himself,  rather 
tiian  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  tlie  magistrates.  But  Paul  and  Silas 
would  not  go  out  of  the  inner  prison,  although  their  feet  were  loose 
from  the  stocks,  and  thedooj-s  of  the  prison  open  j  but  Paul  called 
to  the  jailor,  and  told  him  to  do  himself  no  harm,  for  all  were  here. 
The  jailor  then  c  i  Ued  for  a  light,  and  sprarii^  in,  and  brought  them 
out,  (oat  of  the  inner  prison  into  the  outer  prison,)  or  into  his  house, 
(which  was  a  part  of  the  prison  house,)  and  washed  their  stripes,  and 
'Cvas  baptized  the  same  hour  of  tiie  night,  midnight.  Now,  they 
were  in  prison  all  this  tiine,  and  would  not  go  out  of  the  prison 
house;  for  their  honor  was  at  stake,  their  conscience  was  at  stake, 
the  jailor's  life  was  at  stake,  and  the  honour  of  the  Gospel  wa«  at 
stake,  in  a  heathen  land.  And,  iu  proportion  to  the  greatness  of  my 
coiifidence  in  Paul  and  Silas,  so  I  feel  confident  they  wou'd  not, 
and  did  not,  go  out  of  the  pris<.n-  ic-use  th;*t  night.  If  they  ha'j  b'  en 
seen  out  of  the  prison-house,  tsiat  night,  n  might  have  been  sa;i(  that 
they  were  trying  to  rtio  awaN,  and  that  the  jailor  was  neipin^  liiem 
oft",  ivh'i;  I  w»uid  nave  been  a  great  ro.prti.ich.  from  which  it  ought 
have    been  difficult,    or    perhaps  impossible  to  clear  themselves. 


25^ 

Wherefore,  in  the  uorning,  when  they  had  leave  to  go,  they  would 
not  go;  but  Paul  siid,  they  have  beaten  U3  openly,  uncondemned, 
being  iloaians,  and  cast  us  into  prisan  ;  and  now  do  they  thrust  us 
out  piivily  ?  Nay,  verily,  let  them  come  themselves  and  fetch  us 
out.  And  the  magistrates  came  and  besought  them,  and  brought 
them  out  of  the  prison,  and  desired  them  to  depart  out  of  the  city. 
Tbeo  they  went  out  of  the  jail  and  city  with  credit. 

Now,  I  say  there  does  not  appear  to  have  been  any  possible 
way  to  immerse  the  jailor,  in  the  jail,  that  nigiit  ;  nor  even  in  the 
city  Philippi.  And  it  is  in  my  view,  most  vain  to  talk  about  a  bap- 
tistery in  a  heathen  house,  or  in  a  heathen  jail,  or  in  a  heathen  city, 
or  even  in  a  heathen  land.  And  to  suppose  that  Paul  was  taken  out 
of  the  house  in  Damascus,  and  immersed  ;  and  that  the  jailor  was 
taken  out  of  the  jail  in  Phillippi,  and  immersed  somewhere  or  other, 
you  cannot  tell  where:  I  say,  by  such  a  supposition,  you  beg  the 
question  altogether.  And  you  support  your  faith  and  practice  by 
a  bare  supposition;  while  the  whole  faitli  and  practice  of  immersion 
is  founded  on  bare  suppositions,  directly  contrary  to  the  Bible. 
And,  in  fact,  by  such  suppositions,  you  reproach  the  Apostles  and 
your  own  sense. 

For,  Paul  mast  have  been  baptized  himself,  and  he  must  have 
baptized  the  jailor  by  sprinkling,  according  to  Isaiah  and  Ezekiel  3 
forlie  was  well  acquainted  with  the  Jewish  law  and  the  Jewish  Pro- 
phets. 

The  truth  is,  that  immersion  and  baptisteries  are  the  itt- 
ventions  of  men,  and  are  held  by  the  tradition  of  men,  and  not 
from  the  commandment  of  God,  and,  so  far  as  they  pre- 
vail in  the  world,  they  make  void  the  commandment  of  God.  And 
the  very  circumstance  of  quoting  the  ancient  fathers,  or  any  mere 
human  writers,  as  proof  or  authority  for  either  sprinkling  or  immer- 
sion, is  like  "•  walking  according  to  the  tradition  of  the  Elders.^' 
For  any  religious  rite  that  cannot  be  satisfactorily  established,  from 
the  Bible  itself,  without  any  other  help,  ought  not  to  be  believed  nop 
practised  at  all,  as  a  religious  institution.  For.  in  vain  do  you  wor- 
ship God,  practising  the.  doctrines  and  institutions  of  men. 

N.  Then,  what  is  meant,  in  Col.  2.  1-2  :  •*  buried  with  him  in 
baptisin  r" 

A.  The  same  as  in  Rom.  6.  S,  4.  "  Know  ye  not  that  So 
many  of  us  as  were  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ,  were  baptized  into 
his  death?  T;\ereft're,  we  are  auried  with  him  by  baptism  into  death." 
N)t  buried  vvith  him,  by  baptism,  in  the  water-  Baptism  represents 
that  we  die  unto  sin,  and  live  unto  righteousness  ;  or  that  we  are 
born  of  the  Spirit,  and  sprinkled  with  the  blood  of  Christ,  that  pQrg' 


256 

eth  the.  conscience  from  dead  works  ;  by  wliich  we  have  the  answer 
of  a  gcod  conscience.  1  Pet.  3.  21.  In  sshort,  baptism  represents 
that  we  have  given  up  all  hope  from  every  other  quarter,  and  that 
we  deoend  entirt^ly  upon  the  atonement  of  Christ,  tor  life  and  salva- 
tion, as  if  we  were  buried  in  it.  For  it  is  the  foundation  on  which 
wo  stand,  and  it  is  the  cover  over  our  heads,  and  it  is  the  wall  all 
around  us,  for  salvation. 

This  is  infinitely  more  desirable  than  to  be  buried  in  the 
water. 

It  is  not  the  quantity  of  water  that  does  any  good,  but  the 
keeping  the  commnndmpnts  of  God.  Now,  the  Bible  directs  that 
we  should  be  sprinkled  with  clean  water,  and  be  clean  ;  but  the 
Bible  never  directed  any  one  to  be  immersed,  or  put  under  the 
water.  Immersion,  therefore,  is  not  keeping  the  commandments  of 
€rod.  And  he  who  practises  immersion,  does  it,  because  he  is  bet- 
ter pleased  with  a  quantity  of  water,  than  with  the  commandments 
of  Godj  whether  he  knows  it  or  not.  But  you  might  learn  from 
the  Bible,  that  it  is  in  vain  to  worship  God,  practising  the  institii- 
tions  of  men. 

N.  How  much  is  keeping  the  covenant,  so  as  to  secure  the 
blessings  of  the  covenant  to  the  children  ? 

A.  Nothing  short  of  perfect  obedience  of  parents  is  required, 
in  order  to  secure  to  the  children  the  blessings  in  a  covenant  way 
with  the  parents,  or  on  the  parent's  account. 

But,  if  the  believing  parent  does  dedicate  his  child  to  GoJ, 
n  the  true  exercise  of  faith  and  prayer,  believing  that  God*  will 
bless  the  child;  then  God  will  certainly  bless  the  child  on  Christ's 
account,  even  if  the  parent  should  die,  and  never  do  any  more  by 
way  of  training  itup.  But  if  such  a  parent  lives,  he  will  go  on  to 
train  it  up,  in  some  good  measure;  and  God  will,  on  Christ's  ac- 
count, bless  the  child  the  more  abundantly  in  proportion  to  ho-.v 
well  he  trains  it  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord.  But 
this  is  done  on  Christ's  account,  and  not  because  the  covenant 
was  kept  strictly  by  the  parent.  But,  if  the  covenant  be  kept 
striclly  as  it  ought,  then  tiie  blessings  would  be  given  in  a  C'.vc- 
nant  way  v.'lth  the  parents,  or  on  the  parent's  account,  as  well  as 
on  Christ's  account. 

N.  Then,  how  e>:ceedingly  important  it  is  that  parents  slmuld 
understand  the  covenant,  and  keep  it  ;  for  I  perceive  that  all  de- 
pends on  keeping  the  coinunindments  of  God,  whether  in  big  ihings 


■•Mfttib.  21.  2-2.     John  16.  23,  24. 


or  ia  littU;  things.  And  if  i^areuts  woaM  Lraifi  up  tii'-ir  chiidi-eu  iij 
ti-^  way  in  which  "thej  shoijld-  ^o,  God  would  certainly  bless  the 
children  and  the  parents*,  and  the  Millennium  would  soon  come  on, 
and  tlie.  knowledj^e  of  God  wouhl  soon  fill  the  earth,  as  tlie  watei's 
cover  the  bottoni  of  the  s;reat  deep. 

A.  Yes,  brother  N.  But  h.o'.v  iiisisynificaiit  and  contemptible 
it  does  appear  for  any  one  to  contend  and  stickle  for  a  mere  mode, 
.ind  that  a  false  one.  to  the  utter  ignorance  and  neg-lect  of  almost  all 
the  commandincnts  of  God,  and  the  duties  he  has  required  in  this 
beautiful  system,  or  covenant  ofgracc,  of  wiriclv  baptism  is  the  seal 
and  confirmation. 

M.  But  are  there  not  several  places  in  the  Obi  Testament, 
which  seem  to  represent  that  some  of  tlieir  ceremonial  wasiiin^s 
were  performed  hy  putlin;!;  tlieir  hands,  or  vessels,  or  clothes  all 
over  in  tl^e  wafer  r  Such  .-iS  the  priests  washing  their  hands  and 
feet  at  the  laver?  Exod.  40.  31,  32,  and  P:xod.  39.  19—21.  Lovit. 
11.  '2,5— 35,  &c. 

A.  All  tliese  was!iin«;3  were  a  kind  of  ritual  waslun^s  enjoin- 
ed on  all  individuals  of  the  who'e  twelve  trihes  of  Isr-ael,  according 
to  the  c!rcura5tances  of  the  case  ;  but  thej  were  not  ceremonial  wash- 
ings performed  by  the  priests  on!;y,  in  their  priesdv  office,  when 
performing  their  priestly  lurjCtions. 

The  laver  of  brass  v.ms  set  between  the  tabernacle  of  the  con- 
gregation and  the  altar,  and  water  was  put  tlierein,  fjr  the  priests 
to  wash  their  hands  and  feet  thereat,  when  tiiey  went  into  the  ta- 
bernacleof  the  congregation,  or  when  they  caine  near  tlie  altar  to 
minister.  But  this  was  no  part  of  the?T-  public  priestly  ministration  5 
it  v.'as  only  a  personal  preparatiau  of  themselves  for  their  priestly 
ministrations,  just  as  tiieir  putting  on- their  prit'stly  garments  was; 
after  they  had  washed.  And  they  vvere  not  to  do  this  at  any  othel- 
time  than  as  above  -stated.  \ad  this  vvas'iin'^  of  the  hands 
of  the  priests,  see^ns  to  be  the  tiiing  imitated  by  those  hypo* 
eriiical  Pharisees  and  Jews  who  w.iuhl  not  eat  except  they  washed 
their  hands  oft,  or  strongly,' or  like  a  wrestler,  or  like  a  b^jxer,  &c-. 
Mark  7,3—8. 

But  all  the  people  of  Israelvv»'re  commiuded  to  wash  them- 
selves, or  their  clothes,  or  their  '  ()U>i<'hi»ld  vessels*  or,  if  it  was  an 
earthen  vessel,  to  break,  it,  if  tiiey  became  defiled  by  touching  an 
unclean  animal,  or  a  dead  animtii,  or  any  torbidden  thing  vvhatever. 
And  they  were  bound  to  obey  everv  such  c<>ma)and.  Bu%  at  letj^jthj 
hypocritical  Israel  became  -^j  vasUy  reUu;i>us..  it>  tiieirown  way,  as 
to  extend  those  vvashio^s  to  thin-j;s  that  ha'  n  )f  been  df'filed,  by 
Nolic^iiltg  any  of  those  forbidden  tning^s.  And  washed  their  house-' 
V2- 


258 


hold  furiiituie,  cups,  pots, brazen  vessels,  an;l  tabUs,  in  tiicif  v;Brni  ■ 
mon  Wiiy  of  washing,  every  lime  they  needeJ  waV.iiin<^,  as  if  all  liui 
been  that  ritual  washing  whici)  had  been  commanded,  whe:i  those 
vessels  had  touched  any  of  those  fiirbidtlen  things.  And,  thus,  as 
hypocrites  always  do,  they  neglected  the  commandments  of  God, 
and  became  vastly  religious  in  their  own  way,  in  tilings  not  command- 
ed, but  in  tbeir  own  traditions.  Mark  7.  3 — S.  Matth.  15.  2,  3. 
And,  I  suspect,  they  neglected  to  break  their  earthen  vessels  that 
became  denied,  as  (hey  were  coninianded. 

But,  even  if  they  had  obeyed  ihe  comniandments  of  God,  .ts 
they  ought  to  have  done,  in  these  maf.ters,  yet  these  were  only  indi- 
vidual personal  observances,  to  be  attended  to  by  way  ot  prepara- 
tion of  themselves,  as  individuals,  for  attending  on  their  public, ce- 
•.remonial  ordinances,  in  an  acceptable  manner ;  as  every  Christian, 
in  these  days,  ought  to  attend  to  his  own  personal  duties  at  home, 
tiiat  he  maybe  prepared  to  attend  on  the  public  ministration  ©f  tiio' 
jordinances  acceptably  and  profiiably. 

These   personal,  private,  rituul  w;isrdngs,  or  baptisms,  were  ta  :| 
be  performed,  except  in  a  few  ca^es,  in  ai'.y  way  or  moile  most  con-jw^ 
venient  for  the  person  or  thing  to  be  waslieti.     And,  therefort",  Paul 
speaks  of  divers  washings  or  baptisms.     Heb.  9.  10. 

Bat  their  public  ceremonial  washings,  performed  by  the  pries^^  J 
in  his  public  ministrations,  were,performed  by  sprinkling.  For  Mo- 
ses sprinkled  both  the  book  and  all  thi^  people.  Heb.  9.  19.  Levit. 
14.  41—52.  Num.  8.  7,  and  19.  5—19.  Heb.  9.  13.  Or,  if 
any  other  clean  person  used  the  water  of  purification,  he  was  bound 
to  sprinkle  it  oh  the  unclean  person. 

But,  although  the  sin  offering  was  said  to  be  most  holy  ;  Levit. 
0.   25  ;  yet,  if  any  of  the  blood  of  it  was  sprinkled  on  any  garment, 
the  priest  was  to  wash  the  garment  in   the  lioly   place.       But   an  J 
earthen  vessel,  wherein  t'as  fle^h  of  it  -was  sodden,  was  to  be  brokeH'.-f| 
And,  if  it  be  sodden  in  a  brazen  pot,  it  shall  be  both  scoured  and.| 
rinsed  in  water.     See  Nuiu.  6.25—28.     Taese  garments  i«ust  have-' 
belonged  to  the  priests,  and  the  vessels,  ihose  that  Avere  used  about 
the  tabernacle.     Aa  I  the  priest  was  to  wasa   the   gannsjnt   in    the 
hi^ly  place;  this  holy  place  was  die  tabernacle,  in  which  tiie  laver 
stood.     The  pries;-  always  went  into   ihis  tabernacle,   accomplish 
ing  the  service  of  God.      Heb.  9.  6.     And,  it  was  in  this  tabernacle, 
At  the  laver.  t'.ie  priest  wisaed  his  hands  aadfeei,  as  aforesaidj  ■Aad^i 
at  t  is  laver,  h--^  .ilso,  washed  the  above  ganneut,  and  scovred  and 
rinsed  the  brazen  pot.     But  ihis  was  not  a  public  ministratuxn  in  his, 
pr- -^t'V  o-'ftccr;  lor   t lese  gu' nents  and    vessels  had  be^^n  formeilyi 
^;V>s«wated  to  the  service  of  tue  sanctuary,  a^  part  of  the  garinent?^ 


\ 


-259 

and  vresiieils  of  the  miiii-stry;  and  ^aseS,  at  tint  tiin<?,  iiad  SiX'lr.kleil 
tlwm.  Heb.  9.  19 — 21.  Bat  this  was  an  incidental  puritication 
from  the  blood  of  the  sin-oflering. 

It  appears  to  ine  certain,  that,  ia  all  ca^es  where  tha  priests 
lised  water,  in  their  public  ceremouial  ministrations,  they  did  it  by 
sprinkling  the  water. 

When  Moses  went  to  consecrate  Aaron  a:id  his  sons  to  the 
priesthood,  and  washed  then  with  water,  he  must  have  done  it  by 
sprink.rm<>  the  water  on  tlieni.  For  Moses  brought  Aaron  and  his 
sons  to  the  very  door  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation,  and,  i:; 
the  presence  of  the  whole  congregation  that  was  gathered  to  see  it 
done,  he  waslied  Aaron  and  his  sons  with  water,  or  baptized  them. 
See  Levit.  8  3—6  :  also,  Exod.  59.  4,  and  40.  12.  Vheve  was  no 
chance  to  immerse  them  in  water,  right  at  the  door  of  the  taberna- 
cle;  they  must,  tlierefore,  have  been  sprinkled  with  the  water.  Af- 
ter they  were  washei!,  or  baptized  with  water,  then  tlieir  priestly 
gariuents  w^re  put  on  tii-^.m,  and  their  girdle  ;  and,  next,  t!ie  a- 
nointing  oil  was  put  on  tiseir  neads.  The  Levites  were  sprink- 
led. Num.  8.  7. 

But  Moses  sprinkled  both  the  book  and  all  the  people.  Heb. 
S.  19. 

John  the  Baptist  was  the  last  regular  Levitical  priest  of 
whom  we  have  certain  information. 

When  Christ's  death  ended  the  Jewish  dispensation,  the  Lev-t- 
lical  priesthood  was  no  longer  of  Divine  authority,  not'  regular,  or 
legal;  and  not  to  be  regarded  as  a  Divine  institution. 

Caiaphas  seems  to  huve  come  into  the  office  o-f  High  Priest  that 
year  of  Cnrist's  deatl).  John  IS.  13,  24.  Bat  there  was  some  kind  of 
irregularity  about  it.  In  Luke  3.  1,2,  it  is  said  that,  in  the  (ifteenth 
year  of  the  reign  of  Tiberius  Csesar,  Pontius  Pilate  being  GoveVnor 
of  Judea,  that  Annas  and  Cciiaphas  were  High  Priests.  This  wasat 
the  time  when  John  the  B;4plist  vvas  first  called  in  the  wilderness 
to  preach  5  which  was  about  seven  years  b-  iore  the  death  of  Christ-- 
And  John  iS.  12,  13,  says,  that  the  Jews  took  Jrsus,  and  led  him 
away  to  Annas  first,  for  he  was  fitii;»r-in-lavv  to  Caiaplias,  who  was 
the  High  Priest  that  same  year.  And,  verse  24,  sa^s,  Now  \nnas 
had  sent  him  bound  unto  Caiaphas  the  liiii^h  PiiHsr.  See,  also,  John 
ll.  49.  And,  A.cts  4.  6,  says,  "  And  Annas  tiie  High  Priest,  auU 
Caiaphas,  and  John,  and  Ali-.xaiider,  and, as  many  as  were  of  tne  kia- 
dred  of  tlie  Hi  <h  Priesr.  vve  re  gathered  logetiser  at  Jerusalem."  Tiis 
was  after  the  death  of  Christ,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  lOth  verse 
af  the  same  chapter. 

Nowc  it  seems  that  Annas  and  Caiaphas  both  were  High  Priests,. 


264) 

.'ibouf  seven  ycata  befnrp  the  ticaih  of  Christ ;  but,  that  yeai"  of  his 
death.  Cniiiphas  was  H'gh  Priest?  and,  then,  sometime  after  his  deatlu 
Annas  was  High  Pric!"^  i'gain. 

Now.  the  J«-vi«.h  \\\v  did  not  aiiniit  of  but  one  High  Priest  at  a' 
(i.n:-;  and  he  !ield  his  oiTice  during  life,  or  at  least  until  he  was  de- 
jiosed,  like  A!)i,i''ncr.  1  Kin;2;s,  2.  2G,  27-  And  yet  there  were 
twcnty-fonr  (v'lief  Prie-^ts,  who  were  the  heads  of  the  twenty-four 
courstjs,  orordrri.  into  which  the  priests,  the  sons  of  Aaron,  were 
diviiied.  Sei-  1  Cl>riin.  24«  7 — 18.  Ti)e  Greek  word,  tranolatoti 
!Ii;;h  Priest,  is.  a!s(5.  tr.inslated  Chief  Priest,  or.  in  the  plural, 
Chief  Pric.t.-. :  wf  may,  therefore,  understand  how  it  came  to  pass 
thiit  Annas  and  CaiajJiasboth  are  ctilled  High  Priests,  in  Lul.o  S.  2.' 
Tl!<'  word  initr*'*  i«.ive  lieeii  translated  Chief  Priests,  as  well  as 
Ili^h  Piiesis.  But  Annas  was  Hi2;h  Priest  really,  and  Caiaphas 
i6i;i:i,ht  liave  bfcn  one  of  theCirief  Priests,  and  one  that  had  more 
weight  and  itifiuence.in  the  SanhedritTj,  than  either  of  the  other  Chief 
j^riests:  for  he  was  a  bold,  daring,  profane,  intriguing  politician,  that 
would  stop  at  nothing,  at  no  wickedness,  to  accomplish  his  ambi- 
(iiius  purposes;  and  Annas,  the  iiigh  Priest,  his  father-in  law,  and 
the  majority  of  t'ne  Sanliedriin,  seem  to  have  been  corrupt  enough  to 
Hivor  him.  And,  it  is  said  by  some,  that,  by  the  favor  oi  Valerius 
Oratus,  the  lloaian  lii»vcrnor,  he  was  made  High  Pi-iest.  But  this 
was  an  irregulai  ity;  fur  Annas  ^till  held  the  office  of  High  Priest. 

lluthow  did  it  turn  round  that,  seven  years  after  the  time  spo- 
ken of-in  Luke  3.  2,  Caiaphas  was  High  Priest  that  year  of  Christ's 
death,  with  more  authority  than  Annas  ;  and,  yet,  shorily  afteV 
Christ's  death,  Annas  was  High  Priest,  while  Caiaphas  v/as  still 
alive,  and  held  great  aut!i')i-ity  .^  yVcts  4.  6.  There  is  sometiiing 
very  irregular  in  this  niatter,  and  very  inconsistent  with  the  Jewish 
law. 

In  order  to  unravel  thi^  (bfilculty,  tt  has  be;'n  said,  by  some*, 
tiiat,  from  the  time  of  the  M  uxiib.vs,  the  Hii-h  Fr'ost  had  exercised 
a  kind  of  regal  authm-ity,  and  was  the  ('intd  Ruler  of  the  people,  as 
well  as  their  High  Priest.  And  thut  A  nas,  who  h^d  been  really 
the  High  Priest,  had  been  depo-vd  fi-ou)  his  Higii  PiiesthoiMJ  bj 
Pontius  Pilate,  tiie  Roman  Governor  ;  but  that  ho  still  held  consi- 
derable authority,  as  the  ruler  >d' the  j)eojtle.  And  that  Caiaphas^ 
who  had  been  only  aCltief  Priest,  hrtd  been  apfMnited,  by  Pilate,  a 
High  Priest,  that  year.  Atid  that  this  irregularity  had  arisen  out  of 
the  confusion  of  the  times. 

But  it  seems  to  'ue,  that  Annas  had  not  been  deposed  from  his 
^ligh  Priesthood;  but  ratlier  fro  n  being  the  Ruler  of  the  peoplcv 
And  that  Caiaphas,  who  was  reality  a  Chief  Priest,   and  liad  becfft 


26  L 

ma*le  Hi'i;h  Priest,  by  the  favor  of  Gratus,  the  lionari   Grciveruor, 
above  seven  years  before,  was  not  now  raised  to  be  a  High  Pnestb^y 
I'ilate;  but  a  Ruler  of  tise  people. 

And,  in  this,  Pilate  would  think  himself  not  intciTtM-iog  with 
heir  religious  mitters  ;  out  only  with  their  civil  con<',erns,  which, 
he  thoii,!j;ht,  he  had  a  right  to  do,  as  the  Governor  of  jadea. 

And,  therefore,  Caiaphas,  being  a  Chief  Priest  re-tUy,  and  ac- 
knowledged a  High  Priest,  and  invested  wiHi  the  civil  auihoritv,  as 
the  Ruler  of  the  people,  under  the  Roman  Governor,  exercised  al! 
the  Authority  and  power  of  the  former  High  Priest. 

Wherefore,  the  Jews,  knowing  the  circumsfances  of  the  qase:, 
took  Jesus  to  Annas  fir?t,  that  the  concurrence  of  the  real  High 
Priest  might  be  had 5  and,  then  Annas  sent  him  bound  to  Caiaplias, 
who  exercised  the  civil  authority  as  ruler  of  the  people  that  year; 
and  was  called  the  High  Priest  that  year.  But,  again,  we  read  of 
Annas  being  High  Priest  shortly  after  this,  or  after  Ghrist's  death  ? 
Acts  4.   6  ;  for  he  had  been  the  real  High  Priest  all  the  time. 

Now,  I  would,  remark,  that,  at  the  death  of  Christ,  the  Jewish 
dispensation  ended, and  all  Jewish  Priesthood  ended  at  thatsame  tim$, 
according  to  the  Bible,  aud  ought  to  have  ceased  forever. 

BuU  nevertheless,  Ar.-nas  znd  Caiaphas  still  held  their  places 
for  some  time  after  the  death  of  Christ.  And  we  read  that  one  Ana- 
nias was  High  Priest  and  Ruler  of  the  People,  about  thirty  years  af- 
ter the  death  of  Christ.     Acts  23.  2,  and  24.  1.  ^ 

There  had  began  to  be  a  considerable  irregularity  in  their  priest- 
hood, b.'fore  the  death  of  Christ;  but,  after  his  death,  this  irregula- 
rity grew  worse  and  worse,  until  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  by  Ti- 
tus, the  Roman  General,  about  the  year  70.  Insomuch,  that,  by  the 
time  this  Ananias  came  into  office,  there  was  very  great  irregularity 
and  confusion  in  it.For_<anyonethat  had  ambition  and  intrigue  enough 
to  gain  it,  became  Chief  Priest,  or  the  High  Priest.  And,  whiche- 
ver had  a  sufficiency  of  intrigue,  was  appointed  Ruler  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  was  made  Presidentof  the  Sanhedrim,  or  Jewish  Council. 
This  Ananias  had  become  either  a  Chief  Priest,  or  else  tlie  High 
Priest;  and  was  Ruler  of  the  people.  But  the  Apostle  Paul,  knoAv- 
ing  that  the  succession  of  tiic  Lcvitical,<Prie3thood  had  come  to  the 
time  of  its  end  at  the  death  of  Christ,  and  tliat  it  ought  to  have  ceas- 
ed at  that  time,  <lid  not  acknowledge  it,  after  his  death,  as  of  Divine 
authority;^and,  consequently,  he  paid  no  farther  religious  attention 
OS'  regard  to  it. 

Paul  knew  that,  for-.a  longtime,  it  had  been  the  case,  that  the 
High  Priest,  soinetimes;  and  sometimes  the  Chiyf  Priest,"  was  the 
Ruler  of  tlie  people.     But,  from  the  time  that  Paul  bocame  a  Chri*- 


262 

tian,  his  aUeiUion  liad  been  turned  to  other  matters  ,;  and  he  had 
paid  so  little  attention  of  lute  that  he  did  not  know  or  care  Wfiethei- 
the  then  present  Ruler  of  the  people  was  High  Priest,  or  a  Cidof 
Priest.  Pi<ul  knew  that  he  himself,  as  an  Apustle,  was  tiien  acting 
uiirier  regular  Gospel  authority,- and  that  Ananias  was  theii  exercis- 
ingall  the  power  of  his  irregular  and  ill-gotten  Priesthood,  and, 
also,  his  authority,  as  Ruler  of  the  People,  in  (tpposition  to  Paul's 
regular  ministry.  And  Paul  knew,  also,  (hat  Ananias  was  so  base 
a  hypocrite,  that  he  would  not  stop  at  any  thing,  lawful  or  unlaw- 
fuL  that  he  could  do,  to  accomplish  his  object.  And,  when  he  or- 
dered Paul  to  be  smitten,  Paul  told  him  of  it.  "God  shall  smite 
thee,  thou  whited  wall  :  for  sittest  thou  to  judge  me  after  the  law, 
and  commandest  me  to  be  smitten  contrary  to  the  law  ?"  And  they 
that  stood  by,  said  "  Revilest  thou  God's  High  Priest.^"  But  "Paul 
said,  I  wist  not  that  he  was  the  Hi^^h  Priest  :  for  (or  but)  it  is  writ- 
ten, thou  shalt  not  speak  evil  of  the  Ruler  of  thy  people."  Al- 
though Paul  did  not  know  or  care  whether  he  was  High  Priest,  or 
Low  Priest,  or  Chief  Priest  ;  for  be  was  not  bound  to  pay  any  re- 
ligious regard  to  his  Priesthood  at  that  time  ;  yet,  he  was  bound  td 
submit  to  the  civil  Rulers,  for  conscience  sake.  And,  as  Ananias 
was  the  Ruler  of  the  people,  Paul  ought  not  to  speak  evil  of 
him. 

Nevertheless,  vyhat  Paul  said  of  hiin,  was  the  truth.  But,  truth 
or  qo  truth,  there  was  no  use  for  it  ;  and  he  had  no  right  to  use  re- 
proachful words  about  hira.  ''  God  shall  smite  thee  thou  whited 
wall."  A  whited  wall,  and  a  whited  sepulchre,  represented  a  fair 
outside,  with  an  inside  full  of  all  uncleannes?.  A"^  this  was  the 
case  with  Ananias;  as  a  Priest,  or  professor  of  religion,  he  was  a 
vile  hopocrite;  and,  as  a  ruler  of  the  people,  he  was  basely  unjnst 
and  oppressive.  Yet  Paul  had  no  right  to  take  any  other  measures 
to  resist  his  injustice  and  oppression,  but  legal  measures.  But  he 
had  a  right  to  resist  his  injustice  and  oppression,  by  every  legal 
measure. 

But  this  irregularity  and  corruption  increased  until  the  de- 
stiuctiofi  of  Jerusalem.  About  wdicli  time,  there  wer-  three  par- 
ties contendiri^  for  power,  and  were  armed  against  each  oiher  and 
agair  st  the  Romans  j  and  the  commanders  of  these  parti's  '^ad  oeen 
Fobbers,  or  rhr  ir.ccessivp  h-'ads  of  bands  of  robbers.  And  these 
Fobbfis  took  it  on  themselves  to  make  High  Priests,  to  their  (twn 
liking,  out  of  the  lowfst,  most  ignorant,  and  basest  of  the  people, 
such  as  they   thought  wov.ld  most  favor  their  own  party. 

But  John  tht;  Baptist  was  a  regular  Levitical  Priest,  aiid  greats 
good  man,  and  a  ^Propuet^^aoa  be  was  the  messenger,  or  foreru-B 


:163 

ner  oi"  Christ.  Maith.  II.  9 — 14.  ''But  what  went  ye  out  for  to 
see  ?  A  Prophvn  r  Vea,  I  say  unto  you,  and  more  than  a  Prophet. 
For  t!ns  is  h'>  of  wlioai  it  is  written,  Behold,  I  send  my  messenger 
b?if':'re  thy  face,  which  shill  prepare  thy  way  before  thee.  Veriiy» 
1  say  unto  you,  amon;^  then  that  are  born  of  w.-uien,  there  hath  n^jt 
ri-en  a  greater  th.t;i  John  the  Baptist  :  notwithstanding,  he  that  is 
least  in  tlii.'  kiaudo  n  of  ht-aven  is  greater  than  he.  And,  from  the 
days  nf  J.ihh  the  Baptist  until  now,  the  kingtiom  of  heaven  suSeretli 
Tioie'icf.  i'tui  tiie  vi.tient  take  it  by  force.  For  all  the  Prophets  and 
the  ia^  ,)rophesicd  untiljonn.  And,  if  ye  will  receive  it,  this  )s 
Eiia:?  winch  was  fur  tocoiiie. " 

AtKi,  Lus.e  f.  i26 — ^28.  ''But  what  went  ye  out  for  to  see  ?  A 
Piophtt?  Yva.  I  say  unto  y<iu,  and  much  more  than  a  Prophet. 
Tins  is  hf)  of  wiu.in  it  is  written,  BriholJ,  I  send  ray  messenger  be- 
fore thy  face,  v.  hich  shall  prepare  thy  v;ay  before  thee.  For  I  say 
unto  y-'K  Anvji.'.g  t  I  )se  that  are  born  of  women,  there  is  not  a 
greater  Prop  ^et  than  J  ihu  the  Bijiitist  :  but  he  that  is  least  in  the 
kingdom  of  God,  is  greater  than  he." 

In  order  to  understand  taese  places  well,  we  must  keep  in  view 
the  question  that  was  to  be  decided,  which  was  this  :  whether  Jesus 
was  really  the  San  of  God,  that  was  to  c«me  into  the  world,  accord- 
ing to  the  Old  Tt^stament  Scriptures.  And  John  the  Baptist  had 
sent  messengers  to  Jesus  ,  saying,  "  Art  thou  he  that  was  to  come? 
or  look  we  for  arjother  r"  And  Jesus  sent  him  back  a  satisfactory 
answer.  See  Mattl^£w  11.  2 — 6,  and  Luke  7.  19 — 23.  And,  whea 
the  messengers  wtre  gone  back  to  John,  Jesus  aslfed  the  people  tiiat 
were  present,  What  went  ye  out  into  the  wilderness  for  to  see^ 
Luke  7.  24.  For,  when  John  preached  in  the  wdderness  j  then 
went  out  unto  him  Jerusalem,  and  all  Judea,  and  all  the  region 
round  about  Jordan.  Matih.  5.  3— '5.  But,  what  went  they  out 
for  to  see  ?  A  Prophet  ?  Yes,  and  much  more  than  a  Prophet;  for 
of  all  the  Jewish  Prophets  that  had  ever  been  before  that  time,  there 
had  never  been  a  greater  Prophet  than  John  the  Baptist.  Yet,  the 
least  Prophet  that  was  to  be  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  or  under  the 
Christian  dispensation,  such  as  the  Apusties,  would  be  a  greater 
Prophet  thiAn  he. 

John  was  so  much  more  thm  a  Prophet,  than  any  f'>rmor  Pro- 
phet, that  some  of  the  former  Prophets  ;  Isaiah  40  3  —5  ;  Malachi 
3.  I,  and  4.  5,  6  ;  had  prophesied  of  John,  that  he  would  come  and 
prepare  the  way  of  the  Lord.  And,fiom  thf  'Jays  ol  John  the  Bap- 
tist uutil  now,  (as  HiivV,  it  should  De  traiisiated,;  fhe  kingJon  of 
heaven  sutfereth  violence,  and  the  violent  take  it  by  force.     Or  the 


2&4. 

kingdom  of  heaven  is  gotten  by  force,  and  they  tbat  thrust  luen/take 
'it  uy  force. 

B'jfore  Jolin's  ti.v.c,  the  Jews  had  made  %'oid  tiie  comraand- 
"Hifnts  of  God,  through  the  traditions  of  men  ;  and  were  going  on  as 
smoothly  as  hjpocritfs  might  be  expected  to  do,  until  John  began  a 
refoimatjon  among  the  people  ;  and  multitudes  of  the  very  worst 
Sort  of  the  people,  stic'i  as  publicans  and  harlots,  joined  the  church 
Uovler  John  ;  or  rather  reforrjed  and  becnirae  more  Zfalous  for  toe 
church  than  many  others  that  had  bee^l  of  better  character.  Matth. 
2l.  31,  32.  A'sd,  as  it  is  said  in  Luke  16.  i6  .  '•  The  Law  and 
the  Prophets  were  until  John  :  since  that  time,  the  kingdmn  t.f  God 
is  pieaclied,  and  every  man  preaseth  into  it. " 

No'v.  that  versi"  i:\  Luke,   means  the  same  as  the?e  in   Maitii. 
•i  1.    liZ,  13  :  ''  4nd.  from  the  days  oi'  John   (he  Baptist  uatil  now, 
(as  no\v)  tiie  1<i(igdotn  of  h?avef.!   suftereth    violence,    (is  gotten  by 
force.)  and  the  violent  take  it  by  force,  (fhey  that  thrust  men,  take  it 
by  force.)  Foi  a'l  the  Prophets  and  the  ]\^y  p'ophesied  until*  Joiin," 
(as  Joh[i.)     Now.  if  yc.u  wish  to  know  if  I  (Jei*us)  am  he  that  was  to 
come;  or,  if  yon  are  to  !'>ok  for  anothf^r,  vou  should  p.iy  good  atten- 
tion to  all  that  John  has  saui  and  d.)>.l■.^  forliis  words  and  deeds  bare 
testimony  that  I  am  h?  tnat  was  to  come.     The  Livv  and   the  Pro- 
phets were  as  John,  or  proph^s^ied  as  Jo'm  h^d  prophesied   of  me  ; 
and  he  has  done  as,  you   see  u'ld   l<n'»v,  ne  has  done;  for  he  has 
preached  the  kingdom  of  heaven,   'vuJ   many  of  all    sorts  of  people 
press  into  it.     The  same  stir  and  reforfoation  that  vou  see  now  go- 
ingon,  has  been  going  on  from  tiietine  .John  first  began  to  preuch. 
And  the  Prophets  had  long  ago  foretold  that   John  should  come   be- 
fore me,  to  prepare  the  way  before  me,  to  make  the  high  places  low 
and  the  crooked,   straight:  that  he  should  cry  or  preach  in  the  wil- 
derness, as  well  as  in  other  places  :  astd  hesh.ill  turn  uianvof  the 
children  of  Israel  to  the  Lord  their  God  ;  and  all  flesh  sh.all  see  the 
salvation    of   God.     Isaiah  40.    1 — 5.     Luke   1.    16 — 18.   76.   80 
and  3.  3,  6. 


"Until — The  Greek  wordeos,  translated  until;  should  have  been  translated, 
as,  in  these  places  .  Until  now,  as  now  ;  until  .lohn,  as  John.  Fo--,  in  Greek;*. 
OS,  eos,  and  eios,  are  all  the  same  word;  only  the  Attics  added  ei,  to  os  ;  and 
the  poets  contracted  ei,  to  e.  And,  therefore,  in  Qree^'  tiiere  ai-e,  os,  eos,  and 
eios,  all  reallv  the  same  word,  and  mean  the  same  tt.ins-  ;  and  ^ire  variously- 
translated,  according  to  the  n.iture  of  the  case  and  comvxion  in  whxii  they 
stand.  And  their  real  first  meaning-  is  the  same  with  as,  io  Kniyiish  ;  and  may- 
be as  variously  used  ;  and  oui?,ht  to  be  translated,  m  Kng-hsii,  so  as  to  .cj-ivc  the 
truth  and  sense  of  t'.c  fact  rc-Iated.  They  are,  tlierefore,  translated  thus  :  a6>. 
like,  so,  until,  hoAV  that,  as  far  as,  to,  unto,  &c. 


265 

And,  when  John  said,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  .it  haail, 
Mattli.  3.  2,  and  Christ  said,  the  least  Prophet  in  it, is  grcaler  than 
John,  they  both  mean  the  Christian  dispensation,  which  began  atlhe 
death  of  Christ  ;  spoken  o{  in  Daniel  2.  44,  and  7,  13,  14,  18,  22, 
2r,  and  in  all  places  that  intimate  the  restoring  of  the  kingdom  to 
tsrael  ;  as  in  Acts  1.  6,  &c. 

No  one  should  think  that,  from  the  days  of  Jolin  the  B;ipii.st 
until  the  death  of  Christ,  there  \va^  a  kind  of  hitermediate  or  haif.-.  ay 
place,  between  the  Jewish  and  Christian  dispensitions.  For  the 
J^aw,  and  the  Prophets,  and  John,  all  agreed  ;  and  were  all  of  a 
piece,  and  belonged  to  one  and  the  same  dispensation  until  the  death 
of  Christ. 

But  John  the  Baptist  was  a  true  Levitical  Priest,  ^.ni\  came  ia- 
to  the  office  according  to  the  law.  Anr!,  although  he  wi.re  a  gar- 
ment of  camel's  hair,  and  a  leathern  girdle,  which  were  vastly  infe- 
rior, in  glory  and  beauty,  to  those  of  the  Priest^?,  the  sons  of  Aaron 
the  High  Priest.  Exod.  28.  4^40.  Or,  perhaps,  to  that  of  Caia- 
phas,  who  was  a  Chief  Priest  ;  but  had  contrived  to  obtain  the  name 
of  High  Priest.  But  John's  raiment  and  girdle  were  consistent 
with  the  spirit  of  tlie  law.  And  ihey  shewed  John's  humility,  who 
was  as  well  qualified  to  prepare  the  way  of  the  Lord,  and  make 
his  paths  straight,  as  Caiaphas,  the  villain,  was,  to  pronounce  hh 
sentence  of  death. 

It  is  true  that  John  was  the  forerunner  or  messenger  sent  be- 
fore Christ,  under  the  name  of  Elijah  or  Elias;  Mai.  3.  1,  and  4. 
5,  6.  Matth.  U.  13,  14  ;  because  lie  was  to  go  before  Christ,  in  the 
spirit  and  power  of  Fjiijah,  or  Elias,  and  turn  the  hi^arts  of  the  fa- 
thers to  the  children,  &c.  Luke  I.  17.  And,  as  John  and  Elijah 
were  alike- in  spirit  and  po'v\er  ;  so,  also,  they  were  alike  in  dress. 
Far  Elijah  wore  a  mantle  and  a  l;aihern  gi/d!e  about  his  loins.  2nd 
Kings  1.  8,  2j  Chron.  13.  14^  And,  so,  John  havi  his  raiment  of 
camel's  hair,  which  seems  to  have  been  a  rough  outwar!]  garment, 
or  mantle,  and  a  leathern  girdle  about  his  loins.  Maish.  3.  4.  Ne- 
verthi'less,  they  both  were  truly  great,  and  were  the  houe&t-he^srted 
friends  of  him  who  was  seen  clothed  with  a  garment  down  to  the 
fo^)r,  and  girt  with  a  golden  girdle.     Rev.  1.    13. 

El  j  h  was  of  the  tribe  of  Menasseh;  for  he  was  of  the  inhabi- 
taots  of  Gil'.^  d;  and  Gilead  had  been  given  to  th-?  descen.lants  of 
Manasseh.  I  K-mgs,  17.  1.  J  ish'ia  17.  1.  Numbers  32.  40. 
John  the  Baptist  was  of  the  tribe  of  Levi,  even  one  <if  the  descend- 
ants of  Aaron  ;  Luke  1.  5.  His  father  waa  a  Priest  ot  the  couise 
of  Abia  ;  Luke  1.5;  or  \hij;ih,  which  was  the  pighrh  course 
of  the  twe-ity-four.     1  Ctiroa.  24.  10.     And  John   was  aPnestof 

\v 


1^66 


the  saaiii  couise;  lor  that  was  the  course  to  whicli  he  belonged,  ac- 
cording to  the  ancient  clivisioii  of  coutses.     Acts  13.   ^.). 

Bui  Clu'ist  was  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  and  of  the  house  of  Da- 
vid.    Matih.i.     Luke  3.      God,  in  liis  wisdom  had  appointed  John 
the  Baptiist,  who  was  a  ri-gular  Levitical  Priest,  to  be  the  forei  uiiiicr 
of  Christ.     John  was  a  vvise  and  good  man  ;  his  humility  was  |)a!t!- 
cularlj  signalized  by  his  raiment  of  camel's  hair  and  leathern  girdle. 
For  he  was  great  iu  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and  filled  with  the  Holy 
Gnost  from  his  birth.     And  he  went  before  Christ,  in  the  spirit  and 
power  of  Elias.     Luke  I.  15 — 17.     And  it  was  his  duty  to  walk  in 
all  the  cornmandiients  and  ordit>ances  of  God  blameless,  according 
to  tiie  la  ^  5  except  he   had   been  commamled    otherwise,     wiiich   no> 
where  appears,  and  we  have  no  rii'itto  suppose  he  was  commanded 
othervvise.     For  CiKUt  w„3  to  i'uliil  the  law  in  every  jot  aad  tittle 
and,  if  John,  \n->  lorcrunner,  had  altered  or   repealed  any  part  of  the^ 
law  ;  then  Christ  could  not  have  fulfilled  it  in  that  particular  jot  or* 
little. 

Asa  Livitical  Priest, John  had  tiie  right  to  perform  ceremonial j 
washings,  or  to  baptize  according  to  law;  aud  it  was  his  duty  to^ 
do  it,  as  the  Uw  directed. 

The  Jews  were  bound  to  do,  and  keep  all  the  words  of  the  lawji 
Exod.    19.  3—8,  and  24.  3—8;  Deut.    5.   !Cr— 29 ;  but  they  hadi 
transgressed,  and  grieviou-ly   departed,  and   made    void   the     law,-' 
through  the  traditions  of  the  Elders.      VV";ier(.'fore,  John  required  his 
disciples  to  rejjent,  aad  do  their  duty,  and  bring  forth  fruit  meet   for^ 
i-epeafaace,  a>id  receive  biptism  according  t>)  the  law  ;  which  was! 
d  )!je  by  spriiiiiliag  .vat er  on  ihe>a-     See  Ue^D.  9-    19.      But   Christ,;! 
who  lad  never  sifiaed.  couid  a  )t  i)e  re-jnred   to  rep 'tit;   but    he  hadi 
a  rig'U,  and  it  '.v  iS  proper  [:.»r  lu-o  to  be  baptized,  ■ind    fulfil   the  righ- 
teousness of  ihe  law  iu  thai  point,  as  he  did  ui  all  other  points;  and,1 
this  baptism  was  a  public  teslisnony  that  he  was  ceremonially  cleanil 
But,  if  he  had  been  baptized  in  any  other  mode  than  as  the  law  di- 
rected, it  would  have   been   a  failure,    instead    of  fuitilling  all  the 
righteousness  of  the  law.     Tiierefore,  he  was  sprinklt^d  with  water. 
For  Moses  sprinkled  both  the  book  and   all  the  peoplt^    with  blood 
and  witti  water.      H"b    9     19.      Arid   lie  sprinkled  tiie  Levites  with 
water  ;  and  he  washe<I  Aaroi  and  his  so.-s  wi'h  wafer  at  thed.'>or  o 
the  tabernacle  of  me  con<ir^g:tiou;  rind  it  is  reasonable  to  believe  he 
Spriakled  the:«  as  he  did  all  the    othf^r    people.     Ai-d    it  is  certaiu 
they  could  no-  have   l)een  immersed  at  the  door  of   the    labtrna.    'j 
unless  preparation  had  been  umde  particularly  for  it  ;    o(   winch  \\e 
have  no  account. 

We  have  no  evideuee  that  John  the  Baptist  v\  as  commanded,  at 


267 

any  ♦ime,  to  deviate  from  the  law,  or  that  he  did  deviate  from  it,  or 
fr^un  tiie  Levitical  regu'aiion-,  at  any  time,  in  his  public  ministra- 
tion? ;  and,  as  i:n:)ii'rsion  uouM  have  been  a  deviation  from  the 
law,  it  is  a  reproach  to  Christ,  wlio  was  to  fulfil  the  law,  and  to 
Ju'iii,  that  :;ie;vt  aad  j;i)i)d  nun,  vviio  was  to  go  before  and  prepare 
the  way  fi>r  Ciiiist,  to  s;iy  that  John  practised  immersion,  or  that 
he  baptized  any  person  by  putting  thei.n  all  over  into  the  water,  at 
any  time,  or  in  any  plrtce. 

And,  it  is  a  reproach  to  Philip,  and  all  the  Apostles,  and  to 
Christ,  to  suppose  they  practised  immersion,  or  allowed  it  to  be 
done  until  the  end  of  the  world  ;  and  yet  never  intimated,  that  it 
had  been  done,  or  that  they  allowed  it  to  be  done. 

Bat,  on  the  other  hand,  I  think,  baptism  by  sprioklins;  has  been 
satisfactorily  established,  in  the  foregoing  pages,  froin  the  Bible  its- 
self,  without  any  assistance  from  any  other  ancient  writers.  And, 
yet,  upon  an  impartial  examination  of  ancient  Christian  writers,  I 
think,  the  weight  of  their  testimony  will  be  found  in  favor  of  sprink- 
ling; a!th.):igli  I  abject  to  quoting  any  one  of  them  as  proof.  For, 
any  tiiiog  that  caan.»t  be  established  from  the  Bible,  Avithout  any 
other  help,  ought  not  to  be  held  as  a  religious  creed,  nor  practised 
as  a  religious  institution. 

N«  You  said,  some  where,  that  John's  baptism  of  Christ,  re- 
presented him  as  being  ceremonially  clean  ;  and,  that,  God  meant 
it  as  a  part  of  his  coosecration  to  his  High  Priesthood,  after  the  order 
of  Vit'lchisedec.  Why  might  not  John,  also,  have  meant  it  for  the 
same  ? 

A.  God  had  given  a  law,  called  the  Levitical  law  ;  and  thtp 
'aw  made  men  Priests;  and  prescribed  all  their  rights,  liberties,  pri- 
vileges, qua  ifications,  duties,  and  duration  of  their  priesthood;  and 
this  CDUStiiuted  a  sort  or  ordor  of  priesthood,  called  the  "order  of 
Aaron."  This  law  chose  out  the  tribe  of  L^vi  ;  toen,  out  of  -his 
tribe,  it  chose  Aaron,  and  his  male  descendants,  for  priests.  But,  if 
any  of  those  had  any  blt^mish,  he  could  not  officiate  in  the  Priest's 
office.  Levit.21.  17,^21,23.  And,  as  these  men  had  to  die,  they 
could  not  hold  their  Priestho  >  1  longer  than  their  lifetime  ;  where- 
fore, their  Priesthood  was  changeable,  and  passed  from  one  to  ano- 
ther, in  a  long  succession  of  Priests.  See  Heb.  7.  23.  And,  there- 
fore, they  could  not  be  Levitical  Priests,  except  they  could  trace 
their  genealogy  back  to   Aaron. 

Now,  John  the  Baptist  was  well  acquainted  with  all  these 
things  :  and  he,  also,  knew  that  Jesus  "  our  Lord,  sprang  |out  of  Ju- 
dah;  of  w^iich  tribe  Moses  spake  nothing  concerning  the  Priest- 
hood."   W'herefore,  .Tuhn  could  not  have  me«n^  the  baptism  of  .Testis, 


268 

as  any  part  of' his  con&ecm/ion  to  his  priesthood  ;  fsuJohn  was  bound 
to  maintain  the  law  exactly. 

But  Jesus  was  to  be  a  Priest,  after  the  order  of  Melthisedec, 
and  not  be  called  after  the  order  of  Aaron.  Hob.  7.  11.  And  he 
was  to  begin  his  ministry  under  the  Jewish  dispensation,  as  a  Jewish 
minister,  or  minister  of  the  circumcision;  Ron).  15.  8;  and  he  was 
consecrated  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  his  priesthood,  at  tiiat  time  when 
be  was  baptized  by  John;  and  God  meant  his  baptism  as  a  part  (d" his 
consecration  to  the  High  Priesthood,  after  the  order  of  ^ielchi'- 
Sedec. 

N.  What  is  the  difierence  between  th.e  order  of  Aaron  and  the 
order  of  Melchisedec  ? 

A  The  two  classes,  or  sorts^  or  orders  of  p'-iesthood,  are  dif- 
ferent, according  to  the  ditterencc  of  the  rights,  liberties,  privile- 
gt^s,  and  duties,  conferred  and  enjoined  on  the  persons,  and  the  du- 
ration of  their  priesthood.  And  is  according  to  the  qualifications 
of  the  persons  sustaining  the  priesthood.  I  have  shewn  the  order 
of  Aaron,  which  was  conferred  by  law. 

But  the  order  of  Melchisedec,  was  conferred  by  an  oath  :  "  The 
Lord  sware,  and   will   not  repent,   Thou  art  a   priest  forever,   after 
t:ic  order  of  Melchisedec."     fleb.  7.  21.     Psal.    110.   4.      As  the 
taw  took  into  view  the  qualifications  of  the  persons,  which  had  to 
ba  alike  :  so,  the  oath  took  into  view  the  qualifications  of  the  per- 
sons, which  had  to  be  alike.     Melchisedec    wa's  "  made  like   unto 
the  Son  ofGcd."     Heb.  7.  3.     Bcicause  the  Son  of  God  ever  liveth, 
he  was  consecrated  for  evermore,   and  has  an  unchangeable  priest- 
Hood.      Heb.  T.  23 — 2S.       But,    also,  the  rights,  liberties,    privile- 
ges, and  business,  of  this  order  of  Melchisedec,   was  infinitely  high- 
er than  those  of  the  order  of  Aaron,  as  well  as  of  longer  duration. 
Aaron  and  his  descendants  orficiated  in   this  world  only,  and  in  a 
teuip'e  and    tabernacle  made  with  hands  ;  but  Christ    is  a  minister 
of  the  sanctuary,  and  uf  the  true  tabernacle,  wliich  the  Lcrd  pitt  hed, 
and  not  man,  and  has  entered  into  heaven   itself,  now   to  appear  in 
the  presence  of  (iod,  for  us.      Tleb.  8.  2,  and  9.  21.    -  And  Jie  is  able 
to  save  to  tlie  ulf;'i'!n(>sr,  all  L!!iitcorMe  unto  God,  iivhi'o,  seeing  he 
ever  liveth  to  lUiike  iiitercessi;Mi  (or   them.      Heb-  7-  2j. 
N.     Now,  let  me  ask  you.    Who  is  Melchisedec  ? 
A.     !  will  first  tell  you  vvlio  ho  is   not,  a:i(!  thou  try  to  tell  vmu. 
who  he     wiis. 

ffe  w:!s  n-)t  a  man.  JI -b.  7.  4,  siy?!.  ''  Now  consider  how 
'>reat  this  man  was."  But  the  word  '•  man,"  in  that  n'ice.  is  not 
in  til  J  Gicpk  Testament.  !t  was  supp'icd  by  the  tran^lifors,  a!- 
ihotiirh  you  see  it  in  Ivoman  letter?,     it  should  have  beej'  thus  :  NoM' 


569 

cousidcir  liow  s;re.it  i»e  was.  Tlie  Jews  never  admittcfl  that  any 
mer.^  man  was  wre'iter  than  Abraham;  but  they  admitted  that  Mel- 
cfiispilfc  wa^  jrreater.      Heb    7 .    7. 

But  he  was  n'>t  a  hanian  being  at  all;  for,  he  was  without  father, 
or  nv>lher,  or  birth,  or  death  ;  he  had  no  descent  or  gc- 
nedaa;v.  A.nd,  consequently,  he  conld  not  be  a  Levitical  Priest  ; 
but  the  fact  was,  he  lived  and  appeared  to  Abi-aliam,  long  before  Levi 
wa-  born  ;  and,  therefore,  he  could  not  be  a  Levitical  Priest. 
Wherefore,  Paul  must  have  been  trying  to  shew,  that  he  was  not  a 
man  at  all  ;  for.,  no  one  that  knew  he  had  met  Abraham^  could  have 
supposed  that  he  was  a  Levitical  Priest.  See  Heb.  7.  I — o.  Nei- 
ther was  he  the  Son  of  God,  strictly  speaking.  The  Son  of  God, 
inthef^ill  Bible  sense,  was  the  second  Person  of  the  Trinity,  that 
took  inro  connexion  with  himself  a  real  human,  and  was  born  of  the 
Virgin;  or,  he  was  made  of  a  woman,  made  unto  the  law.  But  Mel- 
chisedec  appeared  to  Abrahaio,  eighteen  or  nineteen  hundred  years 
before  that.  Genesis  14.  18.  But,  he  was  made  like  unto  the 
Son  of  God.  Heb,  7.  3.  There  was  a  strong  likeness,  but  a  real 
dirference. 

He  was  the  second  Person  of  the  Trinity,  that  took  into  con-^. 
nection  with  hi  nself  fh^^  siipernatural  appearance  of  a  human,  and 
appeared  to  Abram,  under  the  names  Melchisedec,  and  Melchis^-- 
lem,  or  King  of  Salem,  Gen.  14.  18.  Paul  has  well  interpreted 
(Iiese  naoi^^s  ;  [Cmg  of  Righteousness,  and  King  of  Peace.  Heb. 
7.  2.  Melchisedec,  signifies  King  of  Righteousness;  and  Melchi- 
saiem,  in  the  Hebrew  language,  signifies  King  of  Peace.  And  these 
names,  or  titles,  well  became  the  highly  ex:ilted  person  who  wore 
them.  But  they  would  not  have  become  any  mere  man.  Meichi- 
sedec  was  like  unto  the  Son  of  G.)d.  T  le  difference  lay  bet'.v.-^en 
the  supernatural  appearatice  of  a  nuin,  and  a  real  man.  Paul  had 
in:i.ny  things  to  say  of  this  Me'iciiisedec,  and  hard  to  be  uttered;  see- 
in^j  the.  H-^brews  wore  duil  of  liearing.  Tib  5.  11.  So,  brother 
N.,  I  will  be  short,  lest  you  should  become  dull  of  hearing. 

N.     Did  Mi'lchisedec  ever  ufSciatf  in  iiis  priestly   office  ? 

A.     Yes  ;  h-^  blessed    Aoram,  and    received    the  tithes,  as    a 
priest.     Heb.  7.  6.     Gen.  14.    13—9.0. 

N.  If  he  was  the  person  you  say  he  was.  What  did  he  want  wii.li 
the  tithes  } 

A  He  wanted  to  make  Abram  do  hi-  duty,  for  one  thing,  and 
set  a  patt'..'rn  for  others.  And  he  had  the  same  use  for  the  tithes, 
that  i\e  had  for  the  cattii^  on  a  thousand  hills.  And  !u  eW  ei  give 
them  back  to  Abram,  or  else  to  some  one  thif  needed  tiiera  worse  ; 
for  he  then  was.  and  still  is,  always  doing  good. 
W2  ' 


270 

SACRAMKNT  OF  THE  SUPPP:?.. 

N.  [  wouI'J  iike  to  hear  tl'.c  Sacraiuent  of  the  Supper  explained 
.1    little. 

A.  On  that  ever-meiiorable  night  before  the  death  of  Christ, 
h'?  in=^tit!ite(.l  the  Supper,  cnmiuonly  called  the  Lord's  Sijpper.  Ac- 
cordin;»  to  the  Jewisli  reckoning  of  days,  from  sun-down  to  Biiu- 
do'.vn,  it  was  on  tlic  evening  of  the  th.irteenth  dav  of  the  Jewish 
month  ."v.san:  and,  after  midnight,  this  thirteenth  day  of  Nisan, 
agreed  ■.  ith  the  fifteenth  day  of  x\pril,  in  the  vear  twenfy-nina  of 
Uie  Cii  iian  era,  until  the  sun-set  frtllowiii^;-.  But,  tVoin  midnight 
unti^  t  .-i  s!in  set  preceeding,  the  time  agreed  with  the  latter  part  of 
tlic  fourteenth  day  of  April;  because  we  reckon  days  froai  mid- 
night to  midnight.  The  deatli  of  Christ  was  on  a  Friday,  which  was 
ths  fifteenth  day  of  April,  in  the  year  twenty  nine  of  theChristiae 
era.  Consequently,  the  Supper  was  instituted  on  Thursday  nighty, 
before  midnight,  of  the  fourteenti)  day  of  April,  in  the  year  29  of  the 
Christian  era. 

Christ's  death  took  place  on  a  Friday,  at  the  time  of  the  coming  oa 
of  aJevvi<?h  passover.  The  passover  nl'vays  i)egin  on  the  fourteenth 
day  of  tlie  Jewish  month  Nisan.  But,  at  this  passover,  Saturday,. 
which  was  the  Jewish  Sabbath,  was  the  fourteenth  day  of  their- 
month,  and  tbie  diy  of  the  bi^ginning  of  the  passover.  Therefore, 
tliat  they  mi$>-ht  not  have  to  mike  preparation  on  their  Sabbath  day, 
frhey  made  tiie  day,  before  their  Sabhatti,  their  preparation  day. 
This  preparation  day  wasF'iday;  and  it  was  tlie  fifteenth  day  of  our 
»no»!>''t  April;  i;i  the  year  29  of  the  Chr^^tian  era.  On  this  day,  Fri-- 
day,  which  was  the  day  of  preparation  for  the  passover,  they  cruei- 
fied   Christ  the  Saviour. 

But,  on  the  night  before  Christ  was  crucified,  He  instituted  tb,e 
Sacremeut  of  the  Supper. 

For,  on  tiie  day  before  He  was  crucified,  "his  disciples  said  un- 
to him,  Where  wilt  thou  that  we  go  and  prepare,  that  thiju  mayest 
eat  the  passover,!^"  This  talk  took  place  on  the  fourteenth  day  of  our 
April,  whi'ii  was  the  day  before Ch'i'^t  was  crurified.  And  it  was 
on  rlie  twelfth  (.lay  of  the  Jewish  month  Kisan.  which  vvas  the  day 
before  the  prop.M'  day  for  killing  the  passover,  at  this  time.  The 
lamb  was  to  be  kept  up  in  com'uon  cases,  until  the  fourteenth  dajr 
of  their  month  Nisan,  and  to  be  killed  in  the  evening  of  the  four- 
;''?:nth  day  ;  that  is,  on  the  bi^inning  of  the  fourteenth  day,  or  after 


synseu  See  EsTod.  liS.  G'.  But,  at  this  i>assover,  it  was  pro-.^er  to 
kill  the  passover  after  sunset,  or  ou  t'le  bjgitining  of  the  thirteenth 
(lay,  which  was  their  preparation  day.* 

Wherefore,  on  the  twelfth  day,  Me  ^ive  directions  (o  liis  dis- 
ciples where  to  make  the  piiS5i)ver,  u'liich  was  then  to  come  <;  >  at,' 
or  after  sunset. 

"  Thpn  c:i'ne  th;Mlay  of  unleavened  bread,  when  the  passi'sver 
;-nustbe  killed.  And  He  sent  Peter  and  John,  saying,  Go  nn  I  pre- 
pare us  t!.e  passover,  that  wc  avsy  eat."  See  Luke  £-2.  T,  8  j 
and,  also,  iiatth.  26.  17,  and  Mark  14.    12. 

And  they  went  into  the  city,  and  prepared  the  passovor,  in  a, 
large  upper  room.  And,  when  even  was  come,  he  sat  down  with 
rise  twelve.     M^lth.GG.  £0. 

And,  on  this  sarae  evening,  as  they  linished  eating  t!ie  jia??:!)  ■ 
ver,  Christ  in-itifuted  the  Sacrament  of  the  Supper,  to  be  ob;^ervciij 
by  Christiana,  to  tiie  end  of  the  world,  in  the  place  of,  or  instead  of, 
the  passover. 

'*  And,  as  they  were  eating,  Jesus-  took  bread,  and  blessed  it, 
and  brake  it,  and  gave  it  to  his  disciples,  and  said,  Take,  eat  : 
this   is  my  body. 

"  And  he  took  the  cup,  and  give  thanks,  and  gave  it  to  them, 
saying,  Drink  ye  all  of  it  :  For  this  is  my  b'ood  of  the  l^ew  Testa- 
ment, which  is  slied  for  many  for  t!ie  re-nission  of  sins."  il'atth.  2G. 
2-6—28.      Mark  14,   17—24.     Luke  22.  19,  20. 

And  Paul  says — "  For  I  have  received  of  the  Lord  that  w'nichj 
also,  I  delivered  unto  you,  That  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  same  night  ia 
which  he  was  betrayed,  took  bread:  And,  vv^hen  he  had  given 
thanks,  he  brake  it,  and  said,  Take,  eat ;  this  is  my  body,  which  is 
broken  for  you  :  this  do  in  remembrance  ef  tne. 

"After  the  same  manner,  also,  he  took  the  cup,  wlien  he  liad 
sapped,  saying.  This  cup  is  the  New  Testa, neot  in  my  blood  :  Tliis 
do  ye,  as  often  as  ye  drink  it,  in  remembrance  of  me.  For,  as  oftenas 
ye  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  shew  the  Lord's  death 
till  he  come.  Wherefore,  whosoever  shall  eat  this  bread,  and  driofc 
this  cup  unworthily,  shall  be  guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of  the 
Lord.  But  let  a  man  examine  himself,  and  so  let  him  eat  of  that 
bread,  and  drink  of  that  cup.  For  he  that  eateth  and  drinketh  un- 
Avorthily,  eateth  and  drinketh  damnation  (judgment)  to  himself,  not 
discerning  the  Lord's  body."     I  Cor.  11.    23 — 29. 


^  ee  the  calculation,  hereafterj  oq  the  deatji  of  Christ. 


272 

The  Jewi"-!"'  pxT=:ov^r  keo*^.  them  in  remembrance  of  their  rieli- 
verance  fram  Egy^*;,  airl,  also,  of  a  Heliverer  that  was  to  coioe  ;  ho, 
the  Sacrament  of  the  Supper,  is  to  ke«^!p  us  in  rp;n<'jnbr;ince  t*i.'  :.m- 
deliverer  has  come,  and  hss  suft'ered  and  die-i,  to  lay  t!ie  f'>(iu  !:itioQ 
oi'our  redeinpTioa  !  '' For  even  Christ,  our  passover  ss  *iirii 'i-.-d 
(or  sluiii)  for  us."  1  Cor.  5.  7.  Wherefore,  we  sho'sld  keep  the 
foast  ia  ^\^  honesty  of  our  heart.  For,  if  we  cat  ;ind  drinV:  unwor- 
thily, we  eat  and  drink  Judgmen!  ro  oui-selves.  If  we  eat  ;it,d 
drink,  we,  th<-.''c")V,  alIo=vor  ackno<.viedi*;e  the  troth,  propriety,  and 
Diviae  institution  of  the  ordinance  ;  and,  doina;atl  this  unworlhily, 
we  coodcain  oarselves  in  that  which  we  allow  or  ackuovvled^e;  or, 
in' oth.er  wordx,  we  pass  judgment  against  ourselves.  And,  when 
we  ^ive  judgment  against  ourselves,  well  may  God,  the  Judue,  ren- 
der judgment  against  !!?.  For  God  i-3  :;reater  than'jr  conscience 
or  heart. 

N.  VVh  it  is  meant  by  being  unworthy,  or  eating  and  dsinking 
unworthily  ? 

A.  If  any  one  has  not  becoaie  a  Christian,  and  dt)es  not  love 
the  Saviour,  he  is  not  invited  to  the  Supper  ;  and,  not  being  invited, 
he  has  no  right  to  come  to  it  ;  bat  he  is  an  uuworthy  intruder,  if 
he  comes  without  the  invitation,  and  after  he  Ikls  been    forbidden. 

N.  If  he  was  as  good  as  he  ou:;l.t  to  1)'',  would  he  ni)t  be  fit  or 
worthy  to  come  to  the  Supper,  even  if  he  had  not  been   invited  t 

A.  No;  if  he  was  as  wise  and  good  as  !ie  ought  to  be,  he 
would  not  attempt  to  come  to  the  Sacrament  of  the  Supper  without 
an  invitation.  The  Angel  Gibriel  has  not  been  invited,  and  he  has 
no  riglit,  and,  t'lerefore,  would  be  unworthy  to  come  t.o  the  Supper, 
Christ  instituted  the  Supper  for  his  fri.^uJs,  fir  Chrisiians  J  and 
they  only  are  ifivited  ;  bat  they  are  aII  invited,  even  the  least  Chris- 
tian, nomitrer  how  ill  deserving  and  unworthy,  or  usi'it  iie  feels 
himself  to  be.  is  invitel  ;  and  it  is  his  duty  and  privilege  to  come 
to  the  titbie,  and  shew  his  friend -hip  to  his  Saviour*  an;],  with 
grateful  remembrance,  acknowledge  and  shew  forth  his  Saviour's 
death. 

His  feeling  himself  to  be  ill  deserving  and  unfit,  is  no  reason 
why  he  should  stav  away  ;  but  it  is  some  evidence  that  lie  should 
come  forward  to  the  table.  Ii  is  such  tiiat  ar>'  invited.  If  be  feels 
no  Sense  of  ill-desert  and  unfitness,  lie  does  nut  feel  as  he  ought, 
and  as   he   really   is. 

Th'^  Pnarisee,  wiio  thanked  his  Maker  that  he  was  not  a  sinner 
like  other  men,  felt  hiius  If,  I  suppose,  very  y^od,  and  would  have 
felt  very  ftt  and  vv{»rthy.  But  the  i'tibliCAn  who  said,  ''Lord  be 
merciful  to  me  a  sinner,"  went  down  justified  rather  than  the  otheV. 


273 

No  doubt  that  Publican  felt  himself  very  unworthy  and  unlit  r 
yet,  I  think,  lie  had  the  true  Gospel  fitness  ;  and  I  should  never  he- 
sitate to  admit  such  to  the  tabic  ;  because,  I  think,  ail  such  have 
some  Christianity,  and  arc  invited  by  the  Saviour. 

It  is  a  fact  that  none  are  as  good  as  they  ought  to  be  ;  but  all 
ou^ht  to  becoviie  better,  by  doing  better,  or  by  doin;^  their  dury.  But 
the  Devil  often  tries,  and  sometimes  succeeds  in  keeping  people  that 
have  some  Christianity,  from  doing  their  duty  in  coming  to  d\e  ta- 
ble, when  they  feel  themselves  not  good  enough  and  ill-deserving, 
by  suggesting  to  them  that  they  are  unworthy  and  unSt.  And,  in 
this  way,  he  prevents  them  from  becomiagbetter,  by  doing  their  diS- 
ty  ;  and,  when  duty  is  thus  neglected,  they  feel  the  more  guiify  and 
unworthy  or  unht ;  and  their  case,  as  Christians,  the  more  hopeless 
and  uncomfortable.  And,  in  this  way,  the  Devil  often  worries  ma- 
ny, whom  he  cannot  devour. 

Wherefore,  let  a  man  examine  himself,  and,  if  he  finds  t'lat  he 
has  felt,  and  still  feels  honestly  sorry  for  having  sinned  against 
God,  and  true  faith  in,  and  love  to,  the  Saviour,  so  let  him  eat  of 
this  bread,  and  drink  of  this  cup,  notwithstanding  his  feelings  of 
ua'itness  ;  but,  if  his  unfitness  cirises  fVom  hii*  want  of  those  qjialifi- 
cations,  let  him  feel  hitnaelf  debarred  from  the  ^abl*^,  by  the  authority 
of  the  Saviour  ;  otherwise,  he  will  eat  and  drink  judgment  to  him'- 
self.  \ 

N.  Are  Baptism  and  the  vSupper  of  any  other  use  than  to  kee^ 
Christians  in  remembrance  of  Christ's  death,  and  of  their  duty  ? 

A.  Bevide-.all  tliat  has  been  said  before,  on  baptism,  and  no\y 
on  the  Supper;  tb>^re  is  another  great  use  for  both. 

Baptism  and  the  Suppin'  are  both  strong,  standing  wifnessss', 
before  the  world,  in  all  generations,  to  the  truth  of  Christianity; 
"  This  is  he  that  came  by  water  and  blood,  even  Jesus  Christ  ;  not 
by  water  only,  but  by  water  and  blood."  1  John  5.  6.  "  And 
there  are  three  that  bear  witness  in  the  earth,  the  Spirit  and  the 
water,  and  and  blood."     1  John  5.  8. 

'■'  The  water  and  t!ve  blood,"  mean  Baptism  and  tha  S::pper. 
And  t:"iey,  tru'y.  bear  witness,  m  the  earth  to  the  trutiiof  Ciuistiani- 
ty.  B-iptisai  and  the  Suppir-r,  are  public,  standing  ordinances  of 
Christ,  to  be  seen  by  all  men,  go.)d  iO'lbad;  .and,  ab:)ut  which,  rione 
could  hi  deceived  at  any  time.  They  m.ist,  thfr-refitre,  have  been  in- 
stituted exactly  at  the  ti;ne,  and  m  the  very  way,  and  by  tiie  very 
person,  as  i-)  stated  of  t'-iem  in  the  Nev/  Testament  ;  for  what 
i^  said  of  thill  ia  the  Ne,v  Testawnent,  could  not  have 
bf-en  bidieved  in  any  generation,  if  it  tiad  been  a  trick  attempted  to 
be  played  otrupoi  I'vi  people,  in  any  generatif>n.      Bat,  if  thoy  were 


274 

ifi'srifiifpil  at  the  timo,  and  in  the  way,  and  by  the  person,  as  is  said 
of  the?ii  in  the  New  rcs'ameiii;  then,  they  are  witnesses,  before  all 
men,  of  die  truth  of  Cnristianity.  For,  if  Christ  had  not  been  what 
he  profe-sel  to  b%  he  couid  not  have  known  that  these  ordinances 
W'.iM  ii:;ve  c^Mifin'iO:!  o.i  tiU  ih-  end  of  the  world  :  but  it  is  more 
likely  they  won  id  have  ceased  before  now.  xVnd.  if  they  should,  at 
any  time,  entirely  cease,  this  would  prove  the  whole  systeai  of 
Ciinitanitv  faUt:"  ;  for  he  s.iid  tiiey  should  cooiioue  until  the  end 
of  the  world.  Whertfore,  whilever  they  ilo  continue,  they  ai-e  strong 
wiuu-sM's  of  the  tru'h  of  Christianity  ;  go  strong  that  they  cannot  be 
reasonably  even  doubted. 

If  tiiese  two  witnesses  should  fail,  the  whole  church  v/ouh! 
fail,  and  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  wouUi  be  proven  fahe.  iitp. 
tisin  carman  the  jilace  of  circumcision,  and  the  Supper  came  in  the 
place  of  the  Passover  ;  Baptism  and  the  Supper,  a-e,  therefore, 
public  representatives  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  or  of  fhe 
Churches  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  ;  and  of  the  truth 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  Wherefure,  whilever  these 
two  witnesses  live,  no  one  should  doubt  of  the  truth  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments. 

These  may  be  considerei!  the  tvvo  witnessos,  or  the  two  candle* 
sticks,  or  the  two  olive  trees.     Rev.  U.  o,  4. 

The  two  candlesticks,  fitly  represent  the  churches  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments  ;  as  in  Rev.  1.  20.  ''The  candlesticks 
which  thou  saweSr  are  the  seven  churches."  And  the  olive  trees  re- 
present the  same;  as  in  Rom.  11.  17.  Tliese  two  witnes*;es  will 
stand  and  represent  the  churciies,  whvlever  the  Bible  and  the 
Cltiisiian  Church  stand.  There  is,  therefore,  no  way  to  slay  tiiesc 
two  witnesses,  nor  to  discredit  their  testimony,  but  by  slaying  the 
EiDio  aiid  the  Christian  Church.  These  two  witnesses  were  to 
"•  prophesy,  clothed  in  sackcloth,"  or  in  a  mournful  manner,  twelve 
hundred  and  sixty  prophetic  years';  or  during  the  prosperity  of  tie 
rti^n  of  the  Beast.  And,  then,  they  vvere  to  be  slain,  and  lie  dead 
three  an;i  a  half  days,  (or  prophetic  years,)  in  a  street  of  the  great 
city.      Rev.  11.    3 — 9. 

'•  And  wticn  they  shall  have  finished  their  tcslimony,  the 
Beast,"  &c.  Greek,  Kii  otan  telesosi  ten  martvjri-an  auton,  to  the- 
rio  >  &c.  Telesosi,  may  be  found  in  the  Subjunctive  Mood,  first  in- 
defn  itc  t'-nj-e,  and  tliirn  person  plural;  and  the  place  should  be  irans- 
latcd  :  And  when  (they  are  rtfiyw^  to  fiiiisk)  their  testimony,  the 
Eciist  that  adcen.leth  out  »f  t  lebo'tomless  pit  shall  make  war  against 
tl.en!.  and  slioiild  oveccome  tliem,  and  kill  them.  S»n^  Rev. 
U.    r.      In  the    time   of    the    French    RevoluVion,    in   the    vcar 


275 

seventeen  huudreii  aud  ninety-two,  the  whole  were  slain,  and  they 
by  dead  (ia  France,  which  was  a  srreel*of  the  Great  City)  for  about 
liuoc  years  an.l  a  half  ;  and  then  they  arose  and  ascended  up  into 
lieaven,  or  into  the  church  again.  The  Bible  was  burned  aCier  Athe- 
is-.n  w.iS  establis'ied  by  law,  and  Christ  was  blasphemed,  and  profes- 
sors oi"  reli'^  on  were  butchered,  their  property  cuuJistated,  and  their 
hv>j.-.es  uf  wois'nip  turned  into  paoUc  qt^tre-hoast'S,  biinacks,  stabics, 
and  plcK'e^  of  not,  and  abuse  nf  roiii;n»ii.  Atid  this  is  the  oiily  way 
to^iay  the  iwo  witaes.ies.  [i'  tiiey  hid  been  nltm  evru-y  where,  aad 
had  hiy  de  ul  ev^^ry  where  for  any  lea;lh  oi  ti'.ne,  it  .vould  have 
proved  t^.-  Bible  iai.-^e  ;  bof,  ahi'cviT  {'uty  live,  ihey  are  substan;,i.,l 
Witii'esses  in  favor  .)[  tiie  truth  of  tnc  B;o!e,  and  of  Christianity. 

N.  3onied:nes  ijiptisin  iitid  WV;'  Supprr  are  caUed  Sealing  Or- 
dina-aees.      Are  they  both  sedis  oi'  toe  Covenant  v(  Gi\.ce  ? 

A.  Ni;  ;  Bu:)iis:ii  is  to;^  se'sl  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  as  has 
bejn  sl'.Cvva  {oriu  ilj.  b  it  \he  Sapper  is  not  a  Seal  of  tliat  Cove, 
naat  wiiich  needed  to  be  coalirined  by  only  one  seal.  See  Cove- 
nant of  Grace  and  Bapusni. 

But  a  reati'ueiit  is  (he  will  of  one  pn-ty,  the  testator  ;  and  it  is  in 
the  nature  of  a  Covaa.;nt  ;  for  vt  is  the  '•  p^o  nise  of  an  mlifrit- 
ance,"  or  ti^e  gift  of  s  xnethini^  to  be  posseSs.^d  by  toe  donee,  at 
some  future  period  after  the  testam.^nt  is  niadd.  But,  before  the 
inheritance  co.rjes  to  the  donee,  tiie  wd!  of  the  testator  may  be 
changed,  and  lie  inight  direct  the  inhprituoce  in  a  different  channel; 
bat,  after  tiie  deatii  vd  the  testaior,  his  will  is  supposed  to  be  un- 
changeable, and.  tiie  heir  has  a  chinn  according  to  the  testanient. 
'"*  Where  a  testament  is,  there  must,  also,  of  necessity  be  a  death 
of  the  testator.  For  a  testaosent  is  of  fo.  ce  affer  men  are  dead; 
otherwise,  it  is  of  no  strength  at  ail  while  the  testator  liveth."  lieb. 
9.   16. 

These  two  verses  are  pretty  well  translated.  But,  also;  in  the 
foreguijvj;  verse,  the  same  w  >rd  is  translated  testament,  when  it 
should  have  \}ee>\  transiate<!  covenant.  "  For  tnis  cause,  he  is  the 
Mediator  of  tlieN  'w  Testiueiit,"  &c.  verse  15.  It  is  the  same 
Graek  vv^rd  in  ail  these  phiCr'S  ;  ao;i  sonel:iaies  this  Greek  v/ord 
(Diatheke)  is  properly  traa-.lated  Covenant,  and  so'.netimes  it  is  pro- 
perly translated  Testani^MU. 

A  Covenant  is  an  agreement  between  two  or  more  parties,  to  do 
or  nr^t  to  do  soaiethiag,  at  so-ne  future  period,  after  making   the 


*  Or,  one  of  the  ten  horns  of  the  Re«f5t. 


27G 

agreement.  See  Covenant.  Ami,  in  the  lotii  verse,  the  Greek 
■word,  Diatheke,  should  have  been  Iraurilated  Covenant.  For  this 
cau^e,  He  is  the  Mediator  ot  the  New  Covenant.  See  Heb.  ti.  6, 
and  12.24.  This  Now  Covenant,  is  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  wliii.li 
13  an  agreesnent  between -wo  parlies,  God  the  Father  and  the  IjcKiev- 
er,  Christ  bein;  the  believer's  surety  in  the  Covenant,  as  we'll  as  the 
"^.lediator  of  that  Co\cnant. 

i>ai;   "a   Mediator  t;^  not  a  Mediator  of  one,  but   God  i>  0!n\  " 
Gal.  3.  -Id.     See,  ali^o,  I   rial.  2.  5.      Now,    ihe    mere  prouase  of 
aiic  to  (/o  soaietiuog.  at  some  future  period,  is  not  a  Covt.'uunt,  but  it 
is  in  the  naturtv.i  a  Covenant.  So  the  wili  or  tcstaoient  .■;  a    e-,!ator, 
ijj  tile  promise  of  one  ti>«!o  sorneihiog  for  another,  at  so.ne  tature  pe- 
riod, and  is  in  the  nature  of  a  covenant.      ^Viierefore,  Christ  is    the 
Mediator  of  the  Ne^v  Covenant ;  out  not  of  the   Nf»',v    Testament; 
for  a  testiiuent  is  o^ one.     A  Covenant  is  binding  on  the  parties  ac- 
cording to  their  agreeoient  ;  bur  a  mere  Wdl  or  Tesiament,   is  not 
binding- on  the  Testator  wode  iie  lives,  ""bat  is  of  no  force  while  the 
Testator  livet'i."     Therefore,  ifaaj  one  has  a  claim,  according  to  a 
Testanieiit.  it  i.s  nec<'S:-iary  that  he  should  shew  the  Testator's  death, 
for  tlien  ''the  Testament  is  of  fojce." 

Bat  the  trur^  bdiever  h.is  a  lar!i;e  clulio,  according  ^o  the  Cove- 
nant of  Grace,  if  he  keeps  that  Covenant  ;  and.  also,  lie  has  a  iargfe 
claim,  according  to  the  SVdi,  or  Testament  of  Christ,  the  Testator. 
Now,  if  the  believer,  bj  failing  to  keep  the  Covenant  as  he  ought, 
should  not  obtain  liis  claim  strictly  accordingtoth.it  Covenant*;  yet 
he  shaii  have  the  whole  inheritance  that  was  left  him,  by  the  wiil  of 
the  restator,  according  t)  the  Pestatnent.  But  in  order  to  obtain 
his  claim,  according  to  tiie  Testament,  it  is  proper  to  shew  forth 
the  death  of  the  Testator.  Now,  Baptism  is  the  seal  and  confirma- 
tion of  the  Covenant  of  Grace.  But  the  Sapper  is  designed  to  sig- 
Kify  and,  seal,  or  confirm  toe  intention  of  the  Testator,  and  the  be- 
liever's claim,  according  to  the  Will,  or  T«':stament  of  Christ,  the 
Testator,  by  shewing  forth  the  Testator's  death. 

Also,  in  1  Cor.  11.  25.  tlie  Gr^^ek  word  ( Diatheke)  is  properly 
translated  Testament.  "This  cop  is  the  Nevv  Te.-ta'oent  in  my 
blood  :  This  do  ye,  as  oft  as  ye  tiriok  ri.  in  reoieinbrance  of  me. 
For,  as  often  as  ye  eat  this  biead,  ant  diink  this  cup,  ye  do  shew 
the  Lord's  death  till  he  come."  Th.'i*  i*.,  the  death  of  he  IVstator. 
N.     Whereas,  the  same  Greek  word  (diathekej  means  a  Cove- 


fSee  Covenant  of  Grace  and  Baptism- 


277 


nant,  aivl  also  a  Testaiiicnt  ;  how  shall  we  know  wheu  to  ifaiisialt' 
ita  Covea;u!t,  and  Avhen,  a  Testament  ? 

A.  When  it  has  reference  to  an  a^rciMnpiit  between  two  or 
more  parties,  it  is  a  Covena.it  ;  but,  when  it  ha-;  reference  to  one 
party  only,  it  id  a  Testament.  By  keepiii};  this  in  remembrance, 
you  might  see  a  grcitt  beauty  in  a  nuiii!)er  of  |;laci\s  in  the  Bibli?;  and 
y:)u  mii^ht  have  j^-reat  comfort  atul  srjristaction  as  a  Chrisfiani  w'-.eH 
you  would  rcilcct  oii  the  wisdoin  and  goodness  of  Gad,  in  estaDit^h- 
ir!;>;  file  Covi^naiit  of  Grjice  wit.h.  believers  :  a-.d  on  the  benevolence 
of  Christ,  in  Ids  last  Will  and  restassurit.  And,  al^o,  you  snii-dit 
hive  great  satisfaction  in  reflecting;  on  the  certadify  of  the  sa'.vi^fir^n 
<>f  tru'i  believers,  if  oof  strictly  accoruinis;  to  (lie  Covenant,  ve'  «er- 
taiidv,  according  to  the  last  Wil!  aiid  TestaiDent  oi  Christ,  U:C  oe- 
aevolent  Testator. 

N.     Yes,  truly;  f;n-  there  is- a  great   (JifFerence  between  the 
mutual    promises    of  tu'o  or    aiora,   whlc'n   constitute  a  Covenant 
and  th'-i  bare    promise   of  one   fiolj,    which    conititiitcs   a  VVii!,  or 
Testament:  and  this  difference  is  in  the  nature  of  the  case. 

And  now  I  see,  more  clearly  than  I  did,  the  meaning  of  this 
place;  "But  new  hath  he  obiainiu!  a  mure  excellent  ministry, 
by  iiow  much  also  he  is  t'ne  mediator  of  a  better  covenanr,  which  was 
•  estdblishfid  upon  better  promises."  Heb.  8.  6.  ''Which  was  es- 
tablished upon  better  promises.''  Greek;  Etis  epi  kriUosin  ep- 
ag^eliais  nenomothetetai.  Ncnooiothetetai  si£;oifies  establ.shed, 
or  sanctiniied  by  law.  And  the  clause  raijjht  have  been  transiated 
thus;  Which  was  sanctioned  by  law  on  better  promises.  For  a 
Covenant  is  a  legal  agreement  c«nsti(uted  of  mutual  prondses  made 
by  two  or  more  pfivties.  But  a  Testament  is  the  legal  declara- 
tion of  the  will  of  one  party  only,  the  Testator. 

A.  Yes;  and  both  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  and  also  the  last 
uill  and  Testament  of  Christ,  are  in  consequ^'nce  of  his  death. 
Ami,  as  baptism  is  the  Seal  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  made  be- 
tween God  the  Father  and  the  bnliever,  Christ  being  the  believer's 
Surety;  so,  the  supper  is  the  Seal  of  the  last  will  and  Testament 
o/  Cluist  only,  fhe  Testator. 

N.  How  many  Sacraments  are  there  to  be  obsei*ved  by  Chris- 
tians? ■  '      . 

A.     Only  two.  Baptism  and  the  Supper. 

N.  What  did  Christ  mean  when  he  said,  "Tf  T  then,  yoar 
Lord  and  Master,  have  washed  your  feet,  ye  also  ought  to  wash 
one  another's  feer.?"     John  13,  14. 

A.  He  meant  to  teach  a  lesson  of  humility  and  brr.therly 
ffiendship,  to  be  felt  at  all  times,  and  to  be  exercised,  en  ail  «c- 

■■"     X 


'278 

r.'?r*a.'v  occaM.Hi^,  iu  ilio  mutual  discl.ar-e  of  friendly  uince>,  e-.cn   to 
the  wasliiii-  of  ona    another's  feet.     But  he  did  not  intend  it  fur  a 
leli^ioiis  ordinance,  to  be  attended  to  by  the  cimrch,  at  stated  times, 
even  -when    there   was  no  need   ior  it.     And  this   is  evident,  fiom 
vvhat  he  said:   '»For  1  have  given  you  an  example,  that  y,u  should 
do  as  I-  have  done  to  yuu-"     Verse  15.      Giving  an  exanij>le  of  hu- 
mility was  not  instituting  a  religious  ordinance  in  the   church,  to  be 
attendid  to  at  stated  times   only.     And  by  sotting  it  up  as  an  ordi- 
Ji;Hice  of   the  cliurch,  and  attending  to  it  at  stated    limes  only,  wc 
liiigi.t   pervert   the  whole  example  of  Chiij.t   to  a  different  purpose 
Irom  what  he  intended;  and.  thereby,  neglect  and  overlook  our  duty 
asindiviilual  Christians,  and  (ail  of  promoting  all  that  good  and  hai*- 
piness  among  Christian  brethren,    which  that  all'ectionate   example 
(rf  Christ  was  intended  to  secure. 

N.  Mark  14.  '■25.  says:  "1  will  drink  no  mure  of  the  fruit 
of  the  vine,  'in'il  ti;at  day  that  I  diinkit  new  in  tiie  Kingdom  of 
(:od."  See  also  Matth.  26.  29.  and  Luke  22,  18.  Did  Christ  drink 
;iny  of  the  wine  at  the   itistitution  of  the  Suppei  ? 

A.  Yes,  he  did;  but  he  said ///<(/  should  be  tie  last  time  he 
Wiiuid  drink  of  it,  until  after  his  death,  or  until  the  Kin'^doin  of 
(iod.  or  the  Christian  disp^ensation  sliouid  come.  See  Luke  22.  Ij' 
—  !8.  Foi- Paul  s.'iys:  '*A!ler  the  same  manner  also  he  took  the 
<i!p,  when  he  had  sKjjped,  Saying,  this  cup  is  the  new  TestaUiCnt  in 
my  blood."  But,  after  he  had  supped  that  time,  he  would  drink 
no  niorc  of  the  fruit  of  tlie  vine,  nor  eat  another  passover  until  af- 
ter his  death,  until  it  be  fulfilled  in  the  Kingdom  of  God.  Luke 
22.   16. 

And  supper  being  ended  (the  Devil  having  now  put  it  into  the 
heart  of  Judas  Iscariot,  Simon's  Son,  to  betiay  liiui)  John  13.  2.,* 
Christ  went  on  to  wash  the  disclple^'  ieet,  and  to  give  all  the  in- 
struction contained  in  John,  froni  the  loth  to  the  end  of  the  17tli 
.Chapter.     And  in  Luke  22.  from  the  2Ist  to  the  39th  verse. 

And,  after  supper  vva'^  ended  while  they  were  still  in  the  upper 
room,  he  said  to  Peter — "when  thou  art  converted,  strengthen  thy 
brethren."  Luke  22.  32.  This  dies  rot  meiin — when  thou  art 
converted  to  Christianity;  for  Peter  v. as  a  iiew  man  belore,  and 
Christ  had  prayed  that  Peter's  Jcntfi  should  not  lail.  But  he 
nieant — when  thou  art  convertei'.  or  iituii  cd  fion;  the  upper  ro(»m, 
where  they  then  were,  bar.k  ro  i)i^  busiriess  as  an  Apostie,  tiiat  ho 
ought  to  strengthen  hisbiethren. 

The  Supper  beinj;  endu'.  and  all  thing's  fitiished  that  vNere  to 
bo  (lone  and  said  in  the  tlie  ujij'fr  rocu..  they  ^ng  an  hvn:i:,  and 
v/ent  forth,  out  ot  the  room,  o^er  the  Brook  tedron,  to  the^.^ount  of 


279 

Olives,  which  was  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile  east  irDia  Jeni>a 
lein,t()  a  a-arderi  calleil  Gethsoinaiie,  and  entered  into  the  gar;! en. 
See  John  IS.  x!.  and  18.  1.  and  Matth.  26.  ;30.  36.  anU  Mark 
14.  oG_3£>,  Luke  2:.  39.  And,  there,  Christ  repeated  his 
Coversation  with  Peter,  which  had  taken  place  in  the  upper  roiiir, : 
and,  after  he  had  prayed,  directly  Judas  and  liis  band  came  and 
took  liim,  and  brought  him  to  Annas  iirst,  and  then  to  Caiaphas, 
and  kept  hiin  under  guard  till  morning,  and  then  took  him  before 
Pilate,  where  he  was  condemned  in  the  morning,  and  crucified  be- 
tween 12and  3  o'clock  that  same  day.  Thus,  the  Supper  was  in- 
stituted not  more  than  about  21  hours  before  his  (leath.' 

Wherefore,  as  often  as  ye  eat  this  bread,  anfl  drink  this  cup, 
ye  do  shew  forth  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come;  t!>erefore,  this  do 
ye,  as  oft  as  ye  do  it,  in  remembrance  of  him. 

It  is  astonishing,  brother  N.,  that  we,  professors  cf  Christianity, 
should  be  as  careless,  about  these  things,  as  we  often  arc.  That 
tremendous,  and  all-glorious  transaction  should  never  be  forgotten, 
or  neglected.  That  was  truly  a  time  of  the  powers  of  darkness: 
but  it  was  also  a  time  for  unfolding  the  glory  of  God;  and  it  was  a 
time  for  men  to  hold  up  their  heads,  for  their  rodempfiun  wa?  (];-a\v- 
ingnigh:  and  now  how  shall  we  escape,  if  we  neglect  so  great 
Salvation. 

God,  in  his  infinite  wisdom  and  goodness,  has  given  to  men 
the  Bible,  containing  all  the  information  and  necessary  means,  point- 
ing to  the  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away  the  sins  of  world.  And 

"Hard  is  that  wretch  that  never  feels 
"One  soft  affection  move." 


©D^TM^§^iDii^^w  iEo 


ON  TrIE  GENERAL  JUDGMENT  AND  RESURRECTION. 

N.  Having  had  some  conversations  with  you  on  the  Divine 
Government,,  and  its  administration,  according  to  certain  fixed  go- 
vernmental principles,  styled  by  the  Apostle  Paul,  "The  law  of 
works  and  the  law  of  faith  ;"  and,  having  conversed  about  the  cha- 
racter of  the  subjects  of  this  government;  please  give  your  views 
on  the  General  Judgment,  or  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  Universe, 
unto  which  all  are  hastening,  to  have  their  characters  and  conditions 
decided  for  eternity. 

A.     It  is  certainly  desirable  that  we  understand  the  order,  the 


2m 


nalure,,  aiid  the  f?f/»7e^u-);j  of  this  Gfand  Cou:'  oftr.e  Univarse,  s^o  \\\v 
a-s  iiisu  |>.irucuiLif5  rt'speciing  It.  are  ri-voulod   m  t.ie   liolv  Sctip- 

t'tUcS. 

N.  Yes,  truly  ;  bur,  nir  tiio  fjr-.^seat,  \\\\\  you  please  J^ive  a 
shoi  I  ,  at'.'meut  of  tne?e  hi<^lilj  mtercstiiig  particulars  i 

A.  Yes.  It  appears,  from  the  prophecy  of  Daniel,  that  the 
Session  xf  Ju.Jgment.  will  take  piacej;/g^  a/ the-  *'  fill  oi  the  Beast-;'* 
Aiid   Vu  prepiiradon  i'or  i^wi  Session,  is  Jl^3■f  before  his  fall. 

"  A  id  i  beheld,  tdl  the  thrones  were  cast  down,  a'.Ki  ihe  A)i- 
Qieiit  of  ii;ijs  did  sit,  thous.  ind  thousind.s  tninistcred  unto  hiiR,  ;;ikd 
ten  fho'isand  times  ten  thou-atui  stood  hefoif  liiin  _;  the  Ju;!g:iitnt 
Was^^ei,  .md   the  buoUs  were  opened."     See  Dan.  7.  9. 

"1  beheld  tiiem,  heiause  of  the  voice  of  the  gi  eat  words  which 
the  horo  ^puke  ;  I  beheld  even  till  the  Beasc  was  slain,  and  his  b(5dy 
destroyed,  and  mvea  to  die  burning  llaine." 

The  vast  number^,  here  dcicnbed,  as  a^seinbliiig  before  the  Aii- 
cir-nt  of  days,  shews  this  to  be  the  GiMieral  Judgment.  And  thene 
passd'-es  shew  that  the  preparation  for  this  Judgment,  takes  place 
jast  before  the  slayini^  of  the  Beast,  which   is  his  fall. 

Again,  in  the  Revtdation — •'  And  the  seventh  Angel  sounded, 
and  there  were  gn^at  voices  in  heaven,  sayinu,  The  kingdoni?  of 
of  t!iis  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  cl  his  Christ, 
and  he  shall  reign  forever  and  ever. 

"  And  the  nations  were  angry,  and  thy  wrath  is  come,  acd  the 
(ime  of  t!ie  dead  that  the}^  shall  be  judged,  and  tiiat  thou  shoudest 
give  reward  unto  thy  servants  the  Prophets,  and  to  the  Saints,  and 
them  (hat  fear  thy  name,  small  and  great;  and shoiiUlest  destroy  them 
that  destroy  the  earth.-'     See  Uev.  11.  15,  18. 

Tnissevenih  truinpet  begins  to  sound  at  the  fall  of  tlis  Beast. 
And  the  transactions  of  the  above  {jaotistion,  take  place  between  his 
fall  and  the  beginning  of  the  ^iillennium.  And  what  is  said  of 
judging  of  the  Sainrs,  accords  i^recisely  v.idi  Daniel,  just  quoted. 
"  And  i  beheld,  and  the  sarise  horn  ir.avie  war  '.vitii  tlie  Saints,  and 
prevailed  a-ainst  them,  until  the  Ancient  of  ihy^^'  came,  atsd  judg- 
meiit  was  given  to  the  Saints  of  the  Mjsi  llijih,  and  the  time  came 
chat  ttie  Saints  possessed  the  kingdvin."  l)a;iiel  7.  '2\-  ~5,  £16; 

The  horn  orileast,  making  war  and  prevailini;;  ti'l  the.  Ati.'iont 
ot  (.lays  came,  Jin<l  judgme:it  being  ^iveu  to  the  !iuiii:s,  ladcr  {<)  the 
surae  event,  and  Ux  it  at  the  fal:  of  tiic  Beast  a!.-.o.  '*  He  -Iiall 
sp^ak^jreat  words  against  the  .Must  Uigh,  and  Khali  \v;;ir  out  the 
Saints  of  the  ?vlpsi  High.,  atid  think  to  ohang^i  tintps  and  laws,  and 
thev  shall  be  given  unvo  his  hand  isnlil  a  tune,  and  tiaie-,  and  the 
dividins;  of  ti^ne.     But  the  jadguient  slwdl  sit.  a!!d    \\H'y  sludl   take 


away  his  dominion,  to  consume  and  to  destroy  it  unto  tlie  end."  The 
same  time  and  circumstances  are  expressed  by  the  Aposile.  "  Now 
we  beseech  you,  brethren,  by  the  coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Chiist, 
and,  by  our  gathering- togethei- unto  !iim,  th-it  ye  be  not  s.'.aken  in 
mind.  For  the  mystery  of  iniquity  doth  alieady  work,  only  he  who 
now  letteth,  will  let  until  h.e  be 'taken  out  of  the  way  ;  a;id  then 
shall  that  wick  d  be  rcv.Mlad  whom  the  i..ord  sliall  consume 
with  the  spirit  ofliis  muuLh,  and  shall  destroy  with  the  brightne-ss  of 
his  coming."     £  Fhess.  2.  1 — 7. 

When  the  Son  of  man  comes  a*  judge,  to  take  his  seat  upon  I'ae 
throne,  the  Beast  shall  then  fall  immediately  ;  for  "then  sliiill  the 
Lord  consume  with  t'le  spirit  of  his  mouth,  and  destroy  him  with  the 
brightnt^ss  of  his  comiiig." 

This  destruction  of  the  '-Beast,  or  man  of  sin,''  is  at  the  be- 
ginning of  Judg. neat,  according  to"  Daniel.  For,  liie  ••  ci):;i  ..;;  pf 
the  Lord,"  in  the  above  quotation,  is  to  Judgment,  at  that  puiiit  of 
time.  "  And  I  saw  in  the  night  virions,  asid  behold  one  like  a  Son 
of  man,  came  with  the  cluuds  of  heiiven,  and  came  to  tlie  Ancient  of 
days,  anJ  tiiey  bro:]ght  him  near  before  him."  Dan.  7.  13,  ami 
S.  14«  Tiiese  passages  shew  that  the  Saviour  comes  to  take  fiis 
Scat  on  the  Throne  of  Judgmen-t,  at  the  lime  of  tiie  fall  of  th.e  Beastj 
for  he  destroys  tlie  Bea.st  by  the   "  brightiiehS  of  his  oiiniing. " 

The  citations  j'lst  inade  establish  two  puinis.  First,  tisat  the 
General  Judgment  sets  at  the  time  of  the  fall  of  the  Beast.  And, 
second,  that  the  coming  of  the  Jud^e,  to  take  his  seat  upon  the 
Throne  of  Judgment,  is  at  the  very  same  point  of  time.  Now,  fion» 
this  commencement  of  Judgment,  it  shall  continue  down  throug!\ 
what  t!je  Ptophet  calls  the  ''  cieansiiig  of  the  Sanctuary,"  which  is 
seventy  live  years  from  the  fall  of  tlie  Beast  ;  Dan.  i  3.  12,  and 
Ilev.  2U  J  until  the  commeccemeiit  uf  the  .MiUc-iinium.  And  this 
General  Judgment  shall  continue  on  through  t!>e  Vletlennium,  also, 
which  at  least  is  one  thoiisan.i  years;  and  through  ••  that  litt'e  sea- 
son," al'^o,  in  which  Satan  is  to  be  loosed.  Then  shall  it  end,  when 
all  shall  have  been  judged. 

"  And  I  saw  an  Angel  comedown  from  heaven.  a;:d  he  laid 
Iiold  on  the  dragon,  that  old  serpent,  aad  bn/nd  him  a  thousand 
years  ;  and,  after  that,  he  must  be  loosed  a  litne  season.  And  I  saw 
thrones,  and  they  sat  upon  them,  and  j-idg  u-'or  was  given  unto 
them.  And  I  saw  a  great  vviiite  throne,  and  mm  that  sat  on  it.  x\nd 
I  saw  the  dead,  Sioali  and  great,  stand  bef:»re  God,  and  the  books 
were  opened,  and  the  dead  were  judged  out  of  the  books." 

This  shews  that  the  General  Juograent  is  not  finished  do'.vn  t;' 
the  close  of  the  *'  little  season. " 
X2 


2m 

St  aiuch,  ihen,  for  the  bci^iniiin^,  ::tul  t'le  duruflon  of  tiiis 
Gram!  Coirt  of  llie  Universe. 

N.  Will  you  ivnv  stale  the  order  i.-f  tliis  Court,  or  Iliial  Judg- 
ment r 

A.  By  order,  I  understsiid  you  to  mean  the  i^cnoral  arraniie- 
m  ut  otits  !jrocee<iings.  According  to  this  order,  the  Judgment  be^ 
gi.is  uitli  the  Saints,  first. 

N.      VVl)en  s'lall  the  judginent  of  the  Saint*,  th.en,  take  placed? 

A.  It  begins  at  the  coinmencenieut  of  tlie  Court,  which  v.  as 
shevvii  to  t)e  at  ihe  fall  of  tlie- lieast.  "■  Ten  thuu!^and  times  ten 
thousand  stood  before  him,  and  tlie  Judgment  wasse?."  Those  are 
r^'pr.-sented  as  being  present  attics  Grand  Court,  when  it  begioSt 
"  The  timo  of  the  dead  is  coiie,  tiuu.  tliey  should  be  judged,,  and  that 
(liou  should  ^ive  reward  unto  thy  servants,  sniull  and  "ireat,  until 
the  Aucit  Mt  of  days  come;  and  judgment  was  given  unto  the  Saints  ti 
the  Musi  High." 

These  are  all  of  one  character,  because  tht^y  are  represented  as 
the  same  people  who  stand  before  the  Ancient  of  days,  at  the  coin- 
mencemenl  of  the  Judgment. 

Nf);r,  all  that  die  in  Christ,  from  the  creation  down  tiil  the  Mil- 
enniam,  are  to  have  their  resuirectiun  and  judgment  during  those 
seventy-five  years  which  intervene  between  the  commencement  uf' 
the  Court  and  ihe  Millennium.  And  this  is  the  "  first  resurrection.'' 
"  The  Lord  himself  shall  descetid  froin  heaven,  with  a  shout,  uiih 
the  voice  of  the  Archangel,  and  with  the  trump  of  G; d;  and  the  de.icl 
la  Chri.;t  shall  rise  first.  1  The^s.  4.  I G.  Rev.  20.6.-  Blessed 
and  holy  is  he  that  iiath  part  in  the  first  resurrection,  on  sach  the 
second  death  hath  no  power" 

N.     But  w'lcn  shall   this  der-^cciiJiag  oi   the  Lord    take  place?' 

A.  At  ftie  conaitieceiueut  uf  the  judgai^  it;  for  this  is  the 
game  thing  Dinielsaw,  ''or.e  like  a  son  of  man  come  with  the  clouds 
^f  heaven,"  and  this  is  that  very  coMiing  too,  whose  ''brig'^tnes^ 
is  to  <lpstroy  the  man  of  sin."  or  the  houi.  or  tieast  as  elsewtere 
called.  An;'  the  otiier  places  oi  Scripmre  which  speak  td  the  serontl 
comitigof  the  Lord,  iieanx  tliis  «/ery  coming  at  the  commencement 
of  the  Jud;;.Tient  day,  for  tiijs  is  his  "second  coming." 

N.  W'^eii  shall  the><e  de.id  in  Christ,  uho  are  to  rise  first. 
Nvhen  IS  it  thev  ri«e,   and  'vhen  ;ire  the\  Judged.'' 

A  Their  resurrection  lakes  place  at  his  coming,  and  their 
judgment  goeso'iiti  ii)-it  period,  net  ween  tlie  fall  ot  the  beast,  anti 
the  beginning  ot  the  Mitlei>niuiti.  This  is  coiifirniod  by  the 
Ajyosf".      ^ee    I    Cor.    15    'Ji.      Rev.    -:;0.   6. 

Sjjetiki.ig  of  the  les-jtrecuoii  of  the  body,  St.   Paul  says,  thus* 


'•Hvery  luau  in  hHO.vn-  oi-der,  ('hiisi  Ose  first  IViilts,  alteru-aftlis 
tlier  tivit  .K-e  Ciiri.S''d  at  h>-<  cv.r.in:;,"  or  at  his  commencement  of 
the  iu-i^r!ieiit'  V'-^^^  s^v.ns  thiiiu;  is  cltvirly  taught  also  in  otiicr 
places.  '•  Tie  ckvii  in  Christ  siiall  viSL-  first,  lilesseil  and  iioly.i.i 
lie  tii.ittvifh  pariia  V  icdcst  rosin-ictioa,  0:1  saob  the  soconil  ileal!) 
iKitii  noy.iivar;  '.),>t  tiiey  s'liUbe  priests  uf  God,  and  of  Christ,  and 
shall  reij^n  vvitjj  lii  n  a  '.hir.isjiid  yeai'i." 

ii^cQ  t.)c  GciiiiVil  JuJ:;neri(;  is  fiirly  repreSvinLed  as  com.jner.c 
in"-  bei-.iro  ill!'  MiilxiaMiuinj  the  saine  which  has  been  said  of  it  bc- 
fo!-e.  Aa  i  tiVtt  tie  fneidj  of  Ciiris';,  \\':\o  wore  dead,  aiise,  livi-, 
are  j  .i'.i,^ed,  and  then  rei^ii  With  luni  a  tlioirsand  years,  or  lhrou(;h 
the  .viilieanunn. 

N.  '-Y  i:.'-.- sh  ii!  t'le  S.iiiitt,  \v'-vj  leave  liic  Nvorld  durin:^  the 
Milleaaiaai,  bo  jmiu;e'.!? 

A.  Durin;^  tne  Millenniam,  as  t'ley  leave  the  world,  'i'iiere 
ai'C  t-vo  ways,  iiuvvever,  oi  leaving  it,  iMid  oi  coiriing;  (0  judg- 
ment. 

One  is  by  dying  and  rising;  again,    and  so  coming. 

The  other  is,  by  mdergoin^  ssrne  icind  of  ciiange,  fully  cnuiva- 
lent  to- ate  npoi-ai  death  atui  reiurroction.  For  tiie  Apostle  states: 
**We,  which  are  aiive,  anil  reaiain  unto  tiie  comuij  of  the  Lord,  (or 
Day  of  Jud^aie.'it,)  >-haii  not  prevent,  or  be  ia  tlie  way  of  tiiem  that 
are  asieep:  (that  is,  who  have  died;)  we  shall  not  ali  sleep  or  diej 
but  we  shall  all  be  ciianged  in  a  niouvant,  in  tiie  twiukiini^  of  au 
eye,  at  the  last  trunpet;  for  the  trim  p'n  shall  souiid,  and  tiie  dead 
shall  be  raised  incorruptible,  and  we,  (that  is  ilu^  cou  ivijicraiics  o 
the  Millennium,)  slu'l  be  changed."  See-  riie.-.s.  4.  15,  and  1 
Cor.    15.    52. 

.Observe,  "We  shill  all  be  chan;^x-'d. ''  This  does  not  mean 
that  all  sasrits,  in  t'le  vluieaoiiiiO,  -,'■), d\  0  rleri^o  ■>•> -if  particular 
change  distinct  fro  a  death,  but  it  >  ujlies  th.iC  ail  sOfil!  oedivvpre- 
pared  fn- cornin^  to  judira'^nt,  eiriiT  07  tf  no>''ai  (h'ath,  or  l»y  that 
particuhr  chaaj^e  equi^  il'^nt  to  t  le  i.ie  wiiich  de.i'^h  makp-i.  "Theu 
we,  wliich  are  alive,  aoij  »i3;atin.  soail  be  caught  -ip  tnofeiiier  witji 
them,  in  the  clouds,  to  .icet  fhe  Lord  in  the  air,  and  so  siiall  \vb 
be  ever  with  the  Lord." 

Hence,  we  see  ihit  they  who  are  ti;u^  chaugf-'d.  so  directly  to 
jiidi^inent,  stand  thei'-  tiia',  ano  pass  iiito  a;lory  evftrlastinti:.  No\y 
this  coming  of  the  Lord,  mentii>n*  i  in  the  cour<»xt.  is  the  seif- 
Sa'iie  thins;  wi'h  that  ojen- toned  i.;  OinieJ  7th.  wliich  is  at  the  fall  of 
the  beast;  at  wliicli  ti  ne  t'le  Oav  uf  the  G^iieral  {jiid^iaent  bejiins.- 
And  the  resarrecti-io  lod  S'llden  ("Oanre  liPie  q'jofpd.  ire  '.^vi- 
dejg^lj?  after  tiie  comineaciueai  of  that  great  da|r, .    The  ciUtiou  re-- 


284 

fers  to  those  living,  even  clown  tliruugh  the  MilifMiiiiuni.  Because, 
even  in  tiie  mitUt  of  the  r-isurrecrivm  and  changing  of  some,  and 
goin2:fi)  .n'"t  the  L)!d  i:i  fheair  for  juds;inen<",  a  nuinlji'r  shall  still 
bealive,  anri  shall  be  reinaining  upon  the  earih.  ''But  thej  who 
are  iiiiv..',  and  v  •.n.iin,  shall  ntit  prevent,  or  be  in  the  way  of,  tlieni 
that  sl-ep:"  beca  ise  th::y,  too,  shall  have  their  resurrection,  and  go 
on  to  jtidgiisetit,  uithout  interruption  froin  those  who  are  still  alive, 
and  yet  reaiainin;;^  (ui  the  earth.  Nor,oh  the  other  hand,  sliail  tliev 
who  are  alive  and  re;n  liniiig  on  earth,  be  interrupted  either,  by 
tlie  othMSCDntinually  risingand  going  olF  to  judgmeni. 

N'>r  (do  ue  presume)  shall  they  see  the  descending  Judge,  nor 
hear  die  shout,  nor  the  voice  ol  t!te  Arch  Angel,  nor  the  trump  cd 
God.  that  awakes  the  dead;  because  "It  is  tisey  -.vlio  are  in  their 
grav.-s,  "LJiat  sliall  hear  liis  voice  and  come  forth."  So  speaks 
tiie  Savinur."      J'i'an5,   23-     'vM.irvel  not  at  this. " 

Thus,  then,  s'oall  proceed,  in  one  simultaneous  tnovement,  the 
resirrection  and  changing  ot  ail  the  friends  of  Christ,  and  their 
jadgoient;  even  i'v.yxi  "Mis  coming"  at  the  downfall  of  the  ••oKin 
of  sin,*'  onward  asid  utiwurd,  t'nrough  tlic  Miilennium,  until  the 
last  fi-ieod,  in  th*  iiau^an  fanul3',  shall  be  judged,  pronounced  vic- 
toriou-i,  and  receive  a  jiivful  coronation. 

N.  This  view  explains  to  uio,  in  anew  light,  '-ihe  first  re- 
surrection." 

A.  Strictly  speaking,  this  i^i  the  lirst  resurrection;  and,  fast 
as  saints  are  judged,  they  pass  into  blessedness,  and  {uUiies's  of 
enjoyment  in  (iod,  and  reign  with  hi:n  forever.  liut  they  who 
rise,  before  the  >1  illei'.nium,  will  reign  witii  Christ,  the  full  thou- 
sand veirs;  cd'  co:irse,  tiiay  wlio  rise  ilyriiig  t!ie  Ardiennium,  shall 
reigu  on  ihoa.rji  its  remainder;  Isat  tois  does  not  imply  an  end  to 
their  reign:  it  iujplies  only,  tiiat  they  have  their  resurrection, 
judgment,- acquittal,  and  reward,  ♦hat  much  sooner  than  the  wicked 
shall  have  their  resurrection,  judgment,  sentence,  and  punish- 
ment. 

"The  rest  of  the  dead  live  not  again  till  the  tliousand  years 
were  finished." 

That  is,  the  wicked,  or  'hey  who  die  out  of  Ciirist,  do  not 
have  their  resurrection  and  judgroent  tiil   after  the  Mdienniuni. 

This  residue,  living  agaiu,  expresses  their  resurrection  and 
coming  to  judgment  towards  the  closing  part  of  that  great  and  nota- 
ble day.  "And  1  saw  the  dead,  sotaM  and  great,  stand  before 
God."  And  the  books  were  op.'oed;  and  the  dead  were  judged 
out  of  those  thing.>  which  were  written  in  tiie  books,  according  tor 
their  works. 


285 

Am]  the  sea  give  up  the  dead  wlijcli  were  in  itj  aiul  death  and 
Ijell,  (or  h.tdes.)  deUverci  up  tiie  dead  wnich  were  in  then);  :i;jd 
th(^v  were  judgcfl  every  nian  accorliii^  to  I'leir  work^-  Aiuid.-atu 
and  hell  (or  hades)  werecast  into  the  Uk«  of  Hre.  This  is  ihe  sec<>f;d  ■ 
death.  Aii(i  whosoever  was  not  fonnd  wrirren  in  the  bsMik  of  lile 
was  cast   into  the  iake  of  fire. "     See  Rev.   x-0.    h2 — !5. 

So  much  {or  the  order  of  the  jud'^.nent,  aisd  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  tlie  dead,  and  their  cotmng  to  judi'inent. 

Now  wiil  be  a  proper  time  for'cil'.ins  up  so  ne  other  p'5S'*age's 
of  Scripture  01)  these snoJM:t?.  "The  hour  i-i  co'nia^;  in  vrhirh  all 
that  are  in  the  grave  shaU  hear  his  voi^'e,  and  siill  come  fortlt;; 
they  that  have  done  good,  unto  the  res-irrection  of  life;  and  they 
that  have  done  evil,  unto  ihe  resurrection  of  damnation."  See 
Johns.   28—29.   and  Danl.    12.  .1,   2. 

The  "resurrection  of  life."  means  th>'  first,  and  the  '-restirree- 
tion  to  damnation,"  means  the  last  resurrection,  according  to  the 
above  order  of  the  judgment. 

"  At  that  time,  thy  pt'ople  sliall'be  delivered,  every  one  that 
shall  be  found  written  in  the  book.  And  many  of  them  that  sleep 
in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and 
soTne  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt."  The  clause  "thy  pea- 
pie,  and  the  rainy  vvho  shall  awake  to  everlasiing  life,"  refer  dis- 
tinctly enough  to  those  who  *•  iiave  pttrtin  the  first  resurrection." 
And  ail  the  remainder  are  oi  theglast  resurrection. 

•'»  When  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the 
lioly  Anjjels  witii  him,  tlien  shall  he  sit  upon  the  Tlirone  of  h'.s  Glo- 
ry. And  before  him  shall  be  gathered  ail  nations;  and  he  slsali 
separate  them  one  from  another,  as  a  shepherd  divideth  !ns  sheep 
frovn  the  goats  ;  and  he  shall^set  the  sheep  on  his  right  hand,  but 
the  goats  on  the  Itift.  Then  shall  the  King  say  unto  tliem  on  jiis 
right  hand,  Cooie  ye  blessed,  &c.  And  to  them  on  the  left  hand, 
Bcpart  ye  a:;corsed,  &c.  And  these  shall  go  awaj'  into  everlasting 
puoishment  ;  but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal-"  Matth.  25. 
3 ! ,.  &c. 

This  passage.  1  couceive,  does  not  intend  to  explain  the  ordei: 
of  the  Judgment 'Day  :  nor  other  passages  of  Scrip!  u  re  on  this  sub- 
ject;  but  it  is  a  short  stdte;!isrit  of  facts,  truly,  acrtuxling  to  the 
order  ju>t  given,  and  expiaijjed  by  otiier  passages  of  Scripture.  For, 
"  lue  gathering  oi  ail  i:ati;;!is  before  tlie  San  of  nian,"  bolii  ^ood  and 
\k\!\,  isoneiact:  bin  it  does  not  intimate  that  this  gathering  shall 
be  smjuitanoous.  JJecause,  according  to  theo  d>'-r  exprciAseddb  ive, 
tlvc  nations  were  gatiierijig  all  alonji'  hrcugn  'the  Great  i);t}'  oi  Gen- 
eral Ju  igm-nt  ;  nor  s'lail    all  03  y;;r.hered   to2,ether   till    ncs-r   tlr6 


28(i 

close  of  that  (lay  of  wonders.     All  the  good  may  be  \herv  first,  ;it,ii 
bt' ju<!oc'd  IJrst.  btTore  ihe  wicked  apj,ear. 

iNiext.  l!u'  "separation."  This  represents  the  placing  ui  tise 
good  on  the  one  hand,  as  a  mark  of  iionorj  and  the  b.id  on  the  other, 
as  a  mark  of  hishoiuir.  And  when  sentence  is  pronounced  ;  it  is, 
fir»t,  on  the  righteous,  according  to  their  order  ;  and.  lastly,  on  t'.ie 
wicked,  according  to  their  order,  also.  And,  m  full  accordance 
with  this  order,  "the  righteous  en^er  into  life  eternal,  and  the 
wicked  depart  into  everlasting  punishment."  Thus,  then,  in  This 
passage,  we  have  a  general,  neat,  and  concise  statement  of  the  order 
just  laid  down. 

N.  Is  there  any  evidence  that  Saints,  in  the  first  resurrection, 
shall  rise  and  come  to  Judgment,  according  to  the  order  of  time  in 
which  they  lived  and  died  upon  the  earth  ? 

A.  There  is  not  only  a  general  statement  about  the  order  ot 
judging  these  two  grand  divisions  of  the  human  family,  but  the  Scrip- 
ture testimony  descends  even  to  the  order  of  the  individuals  them- 
selves. "  Afterward,  they  that  are  Christ's,  at  his  coming."  This 
clearly  expresses  the  general  order  already  explained.  But  these 
words  which  follow,  are  adapted  to  this  individual  order.  "■  For, 
as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive  ;  but 
every  man  in  his  own  order."  iCor.  15.  23.  Dan.  7.  Rev.  II. 
Dun.  12.  13  ;  "  Go  thy  way  till  the  end  be."  And  in  the  descrip- 
tion of  those  "  who  stand  before  the  Ancient  of  days,"  among  the 
thousands,  in  the  first  part  of  the  day,  there  is  a  direct  reference  to 
this  individual  order.  *' That  thou  shouldest  give  reward  to  thy 
servants  the  Prophets  and  Saints,  and  them  that  fear  thy  name, 
both  small  and  great."  For  this  place  refers  to  the  very  class  which 
Daniel  saw  before  the  Ancient  of  days,  '•  when  the  Judgme.-a  was 
set,  and  the  Beast  was  slain.*'  This  individual  order,  is  frequently 
allutied  to  in  the  Sacred  Volume. 

"  God  shall  jutige  tlie  righteous  and  the  wicked  ;  for  there  is 
a  time  there  tor  every  purpose,  and  for  every  woi  k  j"  ot  course,  for 
every  subject  of  this  miuuie  investigation.  '4  say  unto  you  that  eve'" 
r^  idle  word  that  men  shall  speak,  tiiey  shall  give  account  thereof 
in  tlie  Day  of  Judgment.  For  there  is  nothing  covered  that  shall 
not  be  revealed."  Eccles.  3.  17.  Matth.  12.  Sfi.  Luke  12.  2. 
Tiicse,  and  the  like  passages,  forbid  the  conclusion  tliat  the  Saints,  at 
first,  or  the  sinners,  at  last,  shall  be  judged  by  companies,  either 
large  or  small:  but  tiiey  clearly  suppcni  ihe  idea  of  an  imlividual  ad- 
judication, according  to  the  order  of  time  in  which  they  lived  and 
died,  and  stand  on  the  docket. 

N.     Are  there  any  other  pas.^agfs  which  goto  shew    thai  the 


287 

(jreneralJu(l;;iiient  shall  begin  even  while  the  world  stands,  and  mul- 
titudes are  on  it  ? 

A.  Yes,  many.  <' For  as  the  days  of  Noah  were,  so  shall, 
also,  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  be  ;  they  were  eating  and  drink- 
ing,- marrying,  and  given  in  inarriage  j  so  shall  the  coming  of  the 
Son  of  man  be." 

This  coming  of  the  Son  of  man,  is  his  coming  to  Judgment, 
]\Iatth.  24.  37.  And,  even  at  this  coming,  the  inhabitants  of  the 
t^arth  are  occupied  just  as  they  were  before  the  flood  j  of  course,  we 
are  ini'ormeti  that,  when  the  Judgment  sits,  multitudes  are  on  the 
ei'.rth  ;  else,  if  all  have  left  it,  there  cannot  be  much  like  marrying 
and  given  in  marriage. 

And  the  comparison  of  the  state  of  the  world,  at  th.e  timeof  Lot's 
jiighi  from  Sodom,  with  its  state  "when  the  Son  of  man  is  revealed," 
Luke   17.  28,  shews  the  same. 

Novy,  if  this  conning  of  the  Saviour,  is  to  take  place  while  men 
are  so  occupied  on  the  earth,  thei  e  is  no  reason,  in  tlse  nature  of  the 
case,  to  forbid  the  conclusion,  that  tliis  Day  of  Ju(igment  may  begin 
as  early  as  the  fall  of  the  Beast,  ''that  man  of  sin  whom  the  Lord 
shall  consume  with  the  Spirit  of  his  mouth,  and  shall  destroy  with 
the  brightness  of  his  coming  " 

And,  from  (he  mere  nature  of  the  case,  with  as  much  propriety, 
it  might  be  concluded  that  the  General  Judgnient  would  then  be^in, 
as  at  any  subsequent  period  ;  for,  begin  when  it  may,  it  will  find 
men  as  busied  aud  occupied  on  the  earth,  as  the  deluge  did  the  an- 
tedeluvians. 

Of  course,  it  need  not  be  surprising  that  a  very  few,  on  the 
time  of  the  Judgment  Day's  commencing,  shall  believe  it  is  begun; 
but  nearly  all  shall  be  looking  forvvard  to.  its  commencement,  at 
some  far-off  period  in  futurity,  even  v;hen  it  ha?  actually  commenc- 
ed. How  few  are  there  now  on  earth  who  believe  tliat  the  cum- 
mencement  of  that  great  day  is  at  the  fi-iU  of  the  Beast,  as  has  been 
•shewn.  And  well  did  the  Saviour  remark,  or  raih.er  ask  the  ques- 
tion, in  reference  to  tliis  thing  :  •'•  When  the  Stm  of  man  corneth 
^hall  he  find  faith  on  the  earth  V  And  I)ow  frequently  does  he  in- 
timate, elsewhere,  that  his  coming  shall  be  asunlooked  for  "as  that 
of  a  thief  in  the  night."     Luke  IS.  8. 

Is  it,  therefore,  strange  tiiat  many  even  of  the  wise  and  the 
good,  should  fully  believe  that  deatii  must  come,  that  many  genera- 
tionis  of  men  must  fill  their  room,  and  that  their  aslies  must  be  scat- 
tered on  a  thousand  winds,  and  that  Millennial  ages  must  run  their 
course,  before   the  trnrnpet  of  the  Airhangel  sound  to  Ji-djinient  r" 

No,  it  is  not  strange  that  a  very  different  opinion  should  pre- 


:S88 


vaJ.  am!  oqp,  tfeu,  wi.iih  iTSta  libt  On  a  sir.gle  p:iSsaj.'e  of  Holy  W'lii 
tilths  basis.  Ti)us,  ^voiHieriullj,  acc(inii!if>;  to  the  Prophet  Daniel, 
'•have  tiic  wf>r(h,"  etcn  about  the  lime  oi  the  coniRienceir.ent  oj" 
tlie  General  Jiulgmont,  "  bt'.pn  &hut  iij>,  and  the  book  sealed,  evt^n 
linto  the  timo  nf  fhe  envl.  Then,  when  the  end  has  come,  and-  the 
Beast  hss  fallen,  tT.sny  shal!  lun  to  auti  fro,  and  knov,  ledge  shall  be 
increased.''     Danio!  1-!.  4. 

And,  ^'hen  this  knowl^d^e  5>i)aii  be  increased,  the  beginning, 
the  order,  the  nn/ure,  aiul  remit  of  this  General  (.^ouit  of  the  Uii;- 
ytrse,  siisU  be  miich  better  Uiidtrs-toi  d,  aiuJ  niore  Cnnly  believed. 
Tlieieare  other  passso;es  ot  Scriptiue  on  this  suiiject  ;  but  they  are 
as^  ijpf>!iciibie  to  the  geneial  oidcrabo\e  e:;j)!ai[jed,  as  any  v.liich 
have  been  coi)si<Jered. 

N.  What  ih  the  nature  and  desi<in  (if  tliis  Ger.eial,  Grand- 
and  Final  Cov.rt  ^ 

A.  it  is  to  isiiike  a  ciHirolere  iuvestiji.aiiiin  of  individual  cha" 
Meter,  and  to  dtci(Je  \v!jO  are  ger.uinc  Ijeiieveift,  and  wiio  are  not  . 
wiiich  decision  si. all  be  lotlowed  bv  a  prompt  ah<i  spcetiy  erdargenitnt 
on  the  one  hand,  ''  Csniie  ye  blesstnl  of  u)j  ruther  ;"  and  by  an 
dtjunlly  prorapt  and  speedy  imj.'.riHinn'.ent  on  the  other  [;and,  »•  i)e- 
P'Urt  ve  accursed.  An<l  iJiese  shall  ^o  away  into  everlasting  pun- 
isliment,  but  tl\e  ri;d-. sei-uf-;  into   life  eternal." 

N.  But,  ^ouie  iiiun  \vill  sny,  '•  llnw  are  the  dead  raised  up, 
and  with  what  body  do  the>  couu,"  in  the  resurrection  ?  Is  it  the 
same  body  ;  or  is  it  not  the  same  ? 

A.  The  Bible  no  wheie  s-iys,  that  the  same  body  shall  be 
raised  up  in  th,e  resurrection.  But  it  says,  "  and  everv  seed  its 
oi/^?T  body."  1  Cor.  15.  38.  Bui  its  oun  body  isonethini^  •  aid 
the  same  body,  is  another  thinij.  In  the  resurrection  of  the  dend, 
"  it  is  sown  in  corruption,  it  is  raised  in  incorruption  :  it  is  sown 
in  (fi>l'onor,  '  isiaised  in  glory  :  it  is  sown  in  weakness,  it  is  rai><ed 
in  power  :  it  is  sown  a  natural  biuly,  it  is  raised  a  spirifval  body- 
'Novv,  this  I  say,  brethren,  that  flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the 
K.ingd(  m  of  God."  1  Cor.  lo.  42 — 50.  It  is  a  ver\  inconsistent 
notion,  to  suppose  that  the  smne  flesh,  and  bh.od,  and  benes,  shall 
nse  in  the  re^orrection  ;  and  tl  is,  notion  seen  s  to  havr  ;»|•i^erl  fnuii 
fnakiigthe  valley  of  drv  bones,  in  Ez»kiel  87.  1  —  IC,  i|  r  pattern  of 
tlie  general  resurrection  of  the  dead.  Alih(U<ih  tfatvallty  of  dry 
bone?*,  in  Kzckiel,  is  onl V  H  f:<.urn<ive  reprosfiitiition  of  ihe  ctrtnin 
return  of  the  whole  house  of  Israel,  frorntliir  di^pcrsi'ri  thiouKh- 
out  all  countries,  into  their  ow  r  bind:  and  it  has  no  rtieience  to  the 
generw!  resiurec'ion  of  the  dead  at  all. 

It  i«  sown  a  natural  body,  but  it  is  raised  a  spiritual  bod/.    As 


a  grain  of  wiieat  is  sown,  and  God  raises  iij>  out  of  it  a  stalk  ot 
wheat,  which  is  its  oion  ;  and  not  a  stalk  of  r3'e  or  oats,  wtiich  would 
not  be  lis  own  ;  so  a  natural  body  dies  ;  and  God  raises  up  out  ot 
it  a  spiritual  body,  which  is  its  own,  as  rearly  as  a  stalk  of 
v.- heat  is  the  grain's  own  body.  But  the  spirihial  body,  that  is  to  be 
raised  up,  is  no  more  the  .same  natural  body  that  died,  than  tlie 
stalk  of  wheat  that  conies  up,  is  the  same  grain  which  \*as  sownj  and 
yet  tlie  person,  is  the  sume ,.  rs  n. 

For  personal  identi'y,   or  tin-,  identity  of  a  person,  is  one  thing: 
and  the  identity  of  a  natural  body,  is  another  thing  ;  and  the  identi- 
ty of  a  spiritual  body,  is  another  thing.     They    are  three  different 
things,  each  having  an  identity  that  completely  distinguishes  it  from 
the  others.     See  Persoival  i-dentity.     And  fhere  is  no  necessit_y   for 
anyone  to  say,  that  the  same  bodi/  arises  in  the  resurrection,  in  or- 
der to  maintain  that  the  same  person  arises  in  the  resurrection.  For 
fhe  person  is  the  same  person^  wliether  his  own  body  be  the  same 
aatural  body  or  a  spiritual  body.  .  For  every  part  and  particle  has 
a  sameness,  or  identity,  that  distinguishes  it  from  every  other  \)Vi'i 
and  particle;  and  so  personal   identity,   or  sameness,  disHnguishes 
one  person  from  another  person,  as  the  sameness  of  any  one  part  or 
particle,  distinguishes  it  from  any  other  part  or  particle.     See  Per- 
sonal identity.     "  There  is  a  natural  body,  and  there  is  a  spiritual 
body."     1   Cor.    15.  44.      But  theremustbe  a  great diiVerence  be- 
tween the  two.     A  spiritual  body  seems  to  be  compared  to  the  re- 
surrection body  of  Chriit,      i  Cor.  15,  45 — 49.    And,  also,  Phil.  S. 
20.   21.     <'For  our  conversation  isin  heaven  ;  from  whence,  also, 
syelook  for  the  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  who  shall  change  oar 
vile  b^dy,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  bodyJ'^ 
And,  **  Beloved,  now  are  we  the  sons  of  God;  and  it  doth  not  yet 
appear  wiiaf  we  shall  be  ;  but  we  know  that,  when  he  shall  appear, 
\?e  shall  be  like  him  ;  for  we  shall  st-e  hira  as  he  is."     1  John  3.  2. 
We  cannot  now  know  much  aboat  a  spiritual   body.     But   we 
have  been  informed  that  it  will  be  much  more  glorious  than  a  natural 
body  ;  and  it  must  be  different  from  a  mind.     Thinking  and  choos- 
ing are  essential  to  that  modification  of  spiritual  existence,  called  a 
mind  J  but  tlunkmg  and  choosing  are  nor  essential  to  that  modifica- 
tion, of  spiritual  existence,  called  a  spiritual  body. 


¥. 


f9& 


OMVER.SATION  22, 


N.  I  should  like  very  much,  friend  A.,  to  have  n.  short  and- 
ahnple  statement  of  your  views  of  eternity  ? 

A.  Eternity,  or  endless  diiration,  is  as  much  without  begin- 
uiiig,  as  without  ending. 

It  has  been  som.ilimes  represented  by  a  circle,  v/hich,  it  is  true, 
has  neither  end  nor  beginning.  Uut  I  apprehend  that  the  coDcep- 
Uoa  of  a  line  v/ithout  beginning  or  ending,  will  better  represent 
eternity,  for  this  reason  ;  in  a  circle,  though  you  never  arrive  at  a 
beginning  nor  an  ending,  yet,  if  you.  keep  on  round  it,  you  will  be 
sure  to  coine  ba.'c  to  t'le  point  of  starting.  Not  so,  on  a  straight 
Une.     For,  along  ou  it  forever,  you  will  never  come 

tp  the  cad,  »  end.     Neither  can  you,   by  keeping 

on,   ever  get  ■  !rig  point. 

Now,  lei  ■'    u  you  step  ou  that  line  any   v/here,  you 

snust  be  just  in  ii.o  ..iiudle  of  It  j  for  it  is  just  as  far  to  the  end  on 
i>,ie  way,  as  it  is  on  the  other  :  seeing  there  is  no  end  in  either  di- 
iecliou..  And,  move  forward  or  backward  upon  it,  any  given  dis- 
'  :nce,  still  you  are  on  the  middle  point  ;  for  there  is  no  end  either 
..:iy.  Nowj  suppose  this  first  step,  on  that  line,  represents  the  first 
act  of.creation  by  the  Divine  Being  :  and  you  can  see  this  first  act 
of  creation,  too,  was  just  in  the  mlddje  of  eternity,  seeing  eternity 
has  no  beginning  nor  ending.  And  the  Almighty  did  live  as  long 
before  that  first  act,  as  he  will  after  it ;  for  he,  like  the  supposed 
line,  has  no  beginning  nor  ending. 

N.  But  might  not  he,  then,  have  created  soraetliing,  before 
that  first  thing,  even  millions  of  years  ? 

A.     Yes  :  and  that,  too,  would  have  been  just  in  the  midst  o 
eiernlty-     And,  reach  back  as  far  as  you  please,  in  conception,  still 
you  do  dot  step  off  the  middle  point  of  eternity.    You  are  ever  on  it, 
seeing  you  are  as  far  from  its  beginning,  on  the  one  way,  as  you  are 
from  its  ending,  on  the  other. 

And  the  Divine  being  existed  just  as  long  before  that,  as  he  will 
after  it. 

And  now  look  iForward  down  to  the  last  conceivable  ac-t  i'l  ci'^- 
ation  ;  that,  loo,  is  just  in  the  middle  of  cternify  ;  and  'hiuk 
ot  an  act  as  far  beyond  that,  and  still  you  have  n  t  stepped 
off  the  middle  point  of  eternity.  And,  if  ever  thfre  cnie  at 
]ast  act  of  creation,  the  Divine  being  will  live  as  long  beyonU  tnat, 
a^  he  has  before  it,  seeing  he  has  no  beginning  nor  ending.     All 


291 

acts  of  creation  are  just  in  the  middle  of  eternity  :  of  course,  we 
both,  were  created  just  there  ;  and  the  creator  lived  as  long  before 
he  created  us,  as  he  will  live  after  it.  And,  as  we  have  lad  a  begin- 
ning, so,  if  we  shall  ever  have  an  end,  the  Deity  will  live  as  long 
after  that,  as  he  lived  before  it.  But,  if  we  never  shall  have  an  end, 
as  it  is  certain  we  never  shall,  then  we  shall  live  as  long  as  the  Di- 
vine Being  lives  ;  and  still  no  nigher  the  end  than  when  we  start- 
ed into  being. 

N.     Might  not  the  same  use  of  the  interminable  line  be  made, 

... 
in   contemplating  the  greatness  of  God,    as  in  considering  its  du- 
ration ? 

A.  Yes  5  and,  in  accordance  with  the  above  illustration,  we 
might  be  ever  growing  in  knowledge  and  holiness  rapidly,  and  yet 
we  never  shall  be  coriiing  any  nearer  to  the  fullness  of  his  stature  ; 
for  that  jcvij-.vs  no  growth,  no.  bounds. 


N.  Is  there  any  difference  Setweeu  the  h^iQV  highest  sad. 
whicii  the  Divine  Being  has  in  view,  and  the  end  of  government  ? 

A.  Yes,  there  is.  The  very  highest  or  last  end  which  the  Di- 
vine Being  has  always  had  in  view,  is  the  perpelitatioii  of  his  own  in- 
finite happiness,  v/hile  it  displays  or  makes  known  his.  being  and  cha- 
racter, to  a  created  universe,  in  the  best  manner  possible.  The  Di- 
vine happiness  cannot  be  increased,  nor  diminished,  nevertheless, 
it  must  be  perpetuated. 

For,  though  it  is  true,  that  the  Divine  happiness  cannot  be 
increased^  nor  diminished,  nor  even  perpetuated,  by  any  thing  that 
the  created  universe  can  possibly  do  for  the  Divhie  Bemg  ;  yet  his 
happiness  can  be  perpetuated  by  what  the  Divine  Being  can  do  for 
the  created  Universe.  For  the  very  nature  of  goodness,  is,  to  do 
good.  It  is  absurd,  therefore,  to  suppose  that  any  he'mg  can  be 
good,  and  yet  never  do,  nor  even  intend  doing  any  good.  But  the 
Divine  Being  is  infinitely  gooJ.  This  he  could  not  be,  if  he  had  ne- 
ver done,  nor  even  intended  doing  any  good.  Now,  He  has  always 
intended  to  do  all  the  good  he  has  yet  done,  or  ever  shall  do.  And 
he  has  always  been  ladnitely  happy  in  view  of  the  g^-.o'l  he  has 
donCj  and  in  view  of  tliat  which  he  Intends  yet  to  do.  And,  in  this  v/ay, 
his  happiness  has  been,  and  shall  be,  forever  perpetuated.  But  this 
great  good  could  not  be  done,  nor  the  Divine  happiness  be  perpetuat- 
ed, without  making  known  his  tmture  and  character  to  the  rational 


1^92 

created  universt'.  For,  his  doing  good,  helps  to  make  him  known  ; 
and,  his  being  known,  prepares  those  wiio  know  him,  for  receiving 
tlie  tjood  communicated.  All  this  is.  meant  to  be  included,  when 
>ye  say  tUat  God's  highest  end,  is  t'le  most  perfect  disphay  of  his 
own  character,  by  bringing  out  ilie  hi;;iiest  amount  of  holiness  and 
haopine'«s,  in  his  created  universe.  To  accomplish  all  this,  the  Di- 
vine Being  has  established  a  most  perfect  government  over  his  intel'- 
l>;ent  creatures,  and  administers  the  affairs  of  his  government  in  the 
n)ost  exact  and  perfect  manner. 

Butthe  end  of  government  is  only  t\\i\t  particular  good  and  hap- 
piness which  is  to  be  brought  out  under  govprnment,  air.ongst  tho';fe 
Over  whom  government. is  established.  Tnis,  no  dou!)t,  is  the  high- 
est happiaess  ol  which  their  natures  will  ever  be  susceptible. 


C@Ntf  BRSATION  24. 


OPTIMISM. 


N.  It  is  not  easy  to  take  a_  full  view  of  the  complete  systemoii 
Oiviic  Gv,Vi^rr..r.c.r.t2.1  P.-ir.ciplcsj  and  then  avoid  the  beliet  that  th£ 
■•vvhole  plan  of  the  Divine  operation 'is,  upon  the  whole,  the  best  and 
tiie  most  perfect  that  could  have  been  adopted.  For,  if  it  does  ac- 
tually display  the  Divine  chaiacter  to  the  very  best  advantage,  by. 
bringing  out  the  very  highest  amount  of  holiness  and  happiness,  of 
which  the  intelligent  creation  is  susceptible,  might  it  not  be  said,  a 
better  plan  than  this,  even  the  Almighty  could  not  have  devised  '^^ 
V  Now,  for  myself,  I  would  not  dare  to  say  that  the  Infinite  Wis- 
dom, Power,  and  Goodness,  could  not  have  formed  a  system  into 
which  as  much  happiness  should  have  entered,  as  will  ever  be  found 
in  our  system;  and,  yet,  that  no  moral  evil  should  have  entered  with 
it.  I  cannot  tell  what  Infinite  Wisdom,  Power,  and  Goodnegs 
on  Id  perform." 

A.  1  presume,  in  the  first  place,  you  would  feel  a  modest  pro- 
priety, friend  N.,  in  not  venturing  to  say  what  the  Aliiii;;!ity  (ifput 
to  th  stretch)  either  could,  or  could  not  perform.  For  modesty  is 
ascomelyon  one  side  of  this  important  question,  as  she  can  be,  on 
the  other.  Of  course  you  will  allow  me  to  answer  for  myself.  I 
would  not  dare  to  say  that  Inlinite  Wisdom,  Power,  and  Gondntss, 
cofiW  iiave  formed  a  system  into  which  as  much  happiness  should 
have^entered,  as  will  ever  be  fi>und  in  our  system  ;  and  yet  that 
!!.oral  evil  has  entered  with  it.  I,  for  one,  would  fee!  uneasy  while 
-i;;  1. -state  of  sospense,  and  unable  to  deci'e  for  myself  in  sst  hatisfac- 


ii 


293 

lorily,  whether Goil  Ijad  taken,  or  had  not  exactly  taken,  the  verv 
best  'lossib'e  plan  ;  although  I,  too,  "  do  not  pretend  to  tell  v;hat 
Infinite  Wisdom,  Po  ver,  and  Goodness,  could  perform." 

N.  I  will  gladly  hear  your  reasons,  why  you  so  conrideotlj 
conclude  that  God  has  taken  the  very  best  possible  plan. 

A.  Well,  we  understand  that  the  Divine  Being  is  infinitely 
wise,  good,  and  powerful.  His  infinite  wisdom,  with  perfect  ease 
and  readiness,  sees  what  is  the  best  of  all  possible  plans.  And  infi- 
nite goodness  will  ever  continue  dissatisfied  with  that  plan  whiclr 
infinite  wisdom  all  the  while  knows  is  not  absolutely  the  very  best. 
And  infinite  power  can  execute  the  very  best  possible  plan,  with  as 
ease  as  the  very  worst,  or  any  other  between  best  and  worst. 

A^ain,  Infinite  Goodness,  Wisdom,  and  Power,  cA)\^\^\\i^  befJ.er, 
displayed,  by  adopting  the  very  best  end,  and  the  very  best  means  of 
accomplishing  that  end,  and  by  carrying  this  plan  into  coiuplete  ef 
feet,  than  they  could  in  adopting  and  executing  an  inferior  plan. 

Again,  the  Deity  has  given  us  no  kind  of  evidence  whatever' 
that  he  has  adopted  a  plan  which  is  not  the  very  best.  Of  course,  he 
has  given  us  no  reason  for  having  done  so^  But  our  own  reason, 
without  further  lielp,  would  conclude  that  he  has  taken  the  very  best 
plan?  and  we  cannot  invent  any  satisfactory  reasons  why  he  should 
■not  have  taken  the  best  plan.  Therefore,  his  character  would  even, 
labor  on  this  point,  in  ourview,  justsofar  as  we  suppose  he  has  taken  a 
plannot  absolutely  best.  For  we  may  be  continually  at  ihesedetracting 
conclusions,  either  that  there  was  a  deficiency  of  wisdom,  in  not  see- 
ing the  best  possible  plan,  or  a  deficiency  of  goodness  in  not  choos- 
ing the  best,  or  a  lack  of  power  to  bring  oat  and  accomplish  the 
best,  although  it  might  have  been  seen  and  chosen. 

Now,  although  the  Divine  Being  has  not  said,  in  so  many 
words,  that  he  has  ailopted  the  very  best  end,  and  the  best  means  to 
accomplish  it  ;  yet,  there  has  been  so  much  said  and  done,  as  to 
convince  me  as  satisfactorily  as  if  he  had  siid  it  expressly. 

We  have  stated  that  the  Divine  Being  proposes  to  display  his 
character  to  the  highest  and  best  advantage  before  an  intelligent 
Universe,  by  bringing  out  the  highest  amount  of  holiness  and  hap- 
piness in  that  Universe.  Now,  a  higher  and  nobler  end  than  this,  is 
inconceivable.  That  system  of  means  best  adapted  to  this  ende 
must  of  course  be  the  very  best  conceivable.  It  is  evident,  there- 
fore, that  the  Divine  Character  itself,  is  ultimately  implicated  in  this 
matter.  For,  if  it  be  important  to  display  his  character  at  all,  it 
should  be  doue,  in  its  true  light  correctly — and,  being  perfect,  it 
cannot  be  colored,  or  seen  under  colorings  to)  brillinnt  s  but  i* 
wQuld  be  dishoBorable  if  it  were  not  dispjayed  in  its  Irm  light. 


294. 

Now  the  very  best  system  oi  means  lh.it  can  be  pro- 
posed and  adopted,  is  the  very  one  which  will  display  his  character 
most  fairly  in  a  true  light ;  and,  if  he  have  not  adopted  tl.e  moit 
perfect  system,  he  has  nor,  and  will  not  display  his  clsaractcr  fairly- 
and  correctly. 

Moreover,  if  the  system  be  imperfect  at  all,  it  must  be  imper- 
fect in  whole,  or  in  part.  If  the  first,  it  will  display  his  whole 
general  character  unfairly  ;  anfi,  if  it  be  defective  in  part,  it  will 
display  those  correspondent  parts  of  his  character,  as  defective  also. 
For  example  :  suppose  that  the  Divine  Law  is  that  defective  part  of 
the  system. 

N.  But  is  not  the  moral  law  uuderstoodand  acknowledged  to 
be  a  transcript  of  the  Divine  character  ? 

A.  Yes  J  but  if  this  law  be  the  imperfect  part  of  the  system, 
•flad  a  fair  transcript  of  the  Divine  character  taj  5  then,  it  represents 
an  iraperlVxt  character.  But  the  Savi;)ur  has  done  all  that  could  be 
done,  to  convince  the  universe  that  the  law  is  a  fair  transcript  ot 
the  Divine  Character;  and^  of  course,  that  it  is  perfectly  holy,  just, 
and  good.  And  the  same  reasonings  will  apply  to  the  Law  of  Faiih, 
or  whole  Gospel  plan  ;  and  so  we  may  say  of  every  item  in  the  great 
system  of  means,  as  far  as  it  does  any  thing,  it  directly  or  indirect- 
ly goes  to  represent  the  Divine  character,  either  fairly  or  unfairly. 
And,  if  the  least  item  tend  to  repiesent  the  character  of  Deity  fairly, 
it  even  is  the  very  best  in  its  place.  Hence,  not  every  part  of  the 
great  system  of  means  merely,  but  every  ite:n  of  every  part,  is  the 
very  best  possible, 

N.  Indeed,  friend  A.,  [cannot  see  how  to  get  round  your  ar- 
guments. "  But  does  not  this  optimism  plan,  in  some  w'ay,  limit 
the  Hwly  One  of  Israel  ?" 

A.  Yes,  I  own  it  does;  just  as  much,  and  no  more;  and,  in  the 
same  sense,  and  no  other,  as  that  in  which  the  Apostle  Paul  ventured 
to  limit  the  Holy  one,  when  he  even  declared  "that  it  was  impossi- 
ble for  God  to  he."  Which  I,  for  one,  consider  is  iiis  higiiest  honor, 
instead  of  the  least  detraction. 

N.  Yes  ;  a  limitation  in  that  sense,  is  a  hmitation  to  his  in. 
perishable  honor.  And  I  cordially  .igree  with  you,  my  dear  sir, 
such  a  glorious  limitation  di-scloses  untatliomabie  depths  in  God'.*- 
immensity,  it  is  far,  very  far  iio  a  laying  the  least  ground  for  one 
solitary  detractuig  conclusio-i,  in  any  lionest  miuti,  re.specting  the 
plans  and  movemr'ots  of  tU.it  great  and  ulessed  Lieiug  whose  goodness 
knows  no  sio-^  no  turn,  nobounds,  but  shall  be  pouring  forth  itself  on 
holy  and  adoring  creatures,  'Mn  one  eternal,  onward,  onward,  onward 
title  of  joy, "    .^fld,  in  tliat  endearing  and  iiUerminable  huine^  where 


29o 

all,  withor.c  i\ccord,  proclaim  the  praises  of  ineffable  love  and  wis- 
tiom,  wliich  laid  that  glorious  plan  ;  how  shall  the  "  redecinetl  ol 
the  Loid,"  brightened  into  the  brilliancy  orcherubim  and  seraphim, 
lave  in  an  ocean  of  delight,  which  both  ©yervvhelms  and  snpportfj 
;.hem. 


©:DirT^IB^All^II 


'sij^]JS<i''/^2ti'^':2>^X^Ll^U:ll    ^|>;> 


CHURCH  GOVERNMENr. 

K.  Friead  A.,  what  is  your  opinion  concerning  Church  G;r,  ■ 
erdnient  ?  Would  it  be  riglit,  or  best  for  every  congregation,  and 
each  individual  tnernber,  to  throw  off  and  discard  all  ecclesiastical 
law  and  discipline,  except  the  Bible  ;  or  would  it  be  best,  or  right 
for  every  denomination  to  adopt  some  form  of  government  and  dis- 
cipline ? 

A.  The  Bible  certainly  contains  the  very  best  form  of  cliurch 
government  and  discipline  that  can  be  devised.  x\nd  yet  mankind 
differ  v/idely,  in  their  views  and  feelings,  on  that  subject ;  and 
adopt  very  different  forms  of  government  and  discipline  ;  or  else  no 
discipline  at  all.  We  may  conclude,  therefore,  that,  if  all  would 
throw  off  their  present  forms  of  government  and  discipline,  and  pro- 
fess to  adopt  the  Bible,  still  their  views  would  be  no  less  various 
and  discordant;  and,  being  brought  nearer  in  contact  with  one  ano- 
ther, a  more  complete  discord,  anarchy,  and  confusion  would  be  in- 
troduced into  the  church,  than  could  exist  while  each  denomination 
adopts  a  fo'ra  of  governineat  and  discipline,  by  which  that  denomi- 
nation quietly  agrees  to  be  governed.  Any  form  of  government  is 
better  than  none  ;  or  is  better  than  anarchy.  Every  family  and 
every  denomination  has  a  right  to  adopt  tiie  laws  or  rules  by  which 
they  are  iviliiiigto  be  governed  themselves,  aad  acccordiiig  to  which 
they  are  willing  to  admit  others  into  their  family  or  society  and  com- 
munion. And  none  have  a  rigiit  to  co.nplain  or  claim  admittance 
into  that  family  or  society,  unless  he  be  willing  V.)  submit  to  the  laws 
or  rules  of  i hat  family  or  society,  wiuiever  oe  continues  in  it.  And 
whoever  cianplains,  shevv's,  tliereby,  a  lawless  disposition  ;and  only 
wishes  to  enter  into  tliai  tamdy  or  j()ciety,iodo!!Usclilef,to  kill,  to  steal, 
or  to  des(roy.  It  is  best,  tiieiefore,  lor  evrry  denomination  to  adopt 
some  l()rin  of  churco  j;>>vernuieijt  anU  discipline  ;  such  as  they  think 
comes  nearest  to  t!ie  ii^rie  ;  aud  they  sOuuld  amend  and  imjirove  it 
as  fast  as  they  see    lujprovements  can  be  made,   until  it  t-omt:.:'  u"^) 


296 

to  the  perfectioD  of  the  BiWe  standard  ;  and  then  all  will  have  oue 
heart,  and  one  way,  and  one  form  of  church  government  and  disci^ 
pline. 

It  is  not  friendship  to  God,  nor  fo  the  Church,  nor  to  the  Bible.j 
but  it  is  a  lawless  disposition  that  induces  any  one  to  wish  all  creeds 
and  church  discipline  thrown  away,  and  the  Bible  only  adopted  in 
(heir  place.  It  is  a  hoax,  and  there  is  aliook  in  the  bait.  For,  one 
that  is  not  willing  to  get,  and  be  governed  by  a  good  creed  and  a 
good  law,  will  not  be  very  careful  about  his  practice.  He  will  aim  to 
bp  the  head,  and  not  the  tail ;  and,  if  he  cannot  succeed  to  his  mind, 
he  is  always  ready  to  declare  himself  independent.  If  such  a  dis^ 
position  and  feeling  could  succeed  in  putting  away  all  creeds  and 
discipline,  they  would  soon  put  away  all  improvement  that  has  been 
made,  and  the  Bible  also  ;  and  would  soon  sink  the  world  into  the 
blackness  of  the  darkness  of  Popery  or  Pat^anism. 

The  real  friends  of  God,  of  the  Bible,  and  of  the  Church,  in  all 
ages,  have  had  to  scuffle  agaitjst  that  kind  of  a  disposition  in  men^j 
in  whatever  form  it  was  shewn.  And  one  use  of  creeds  and  Church 
discipline, is,  to  detect  and  exclude  all  such  lawless  disturbers  of  the 
peace,  from  the  sooiety  and  communion  of  the  church,;  for  experience 
has  proved  that  such  men  do  more  harm,  when  they  are  in  the  church., 
than  when  they  are  out  of  it.  Wherefore,  whenever  you  hear  aay^ 
one  find  fault  with  creeds  and  church  discipline,  you  should  feel  sti-  * 
mulated  to  see  to  it,  that  you  have  a  good  creed  and  a  good  discs- 
pline. 

N.  What  form  of  church  government  do  you  think  is  the  best, 
and  most  consistent  with  the  Bible  ? 

A.  I  think  an  elective,  republican  form  of  church  government, 
is  the  best,  and  the  one  taught  in  the  New  Testament.  And  we^ 
as  Christians,  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  Jewish  hierarchy,  which 
ended  with  the  Jewish  dispensation. 

The  business  of  the  church,  was  not  the  particular  concern  of 
individuals,  or  of  congregations  ;  but  of  the  whole  Church  See 
Acts  15.  2,  3,  22.  And  yet  men  were  elected,  or  chosen,  and  sent 
to  attend  to  the  business  of  the  church.  See  Acts  6.  1 — 6,  and  15. 
2.  6.  22.  It  is,  therefore,  an  elective,  republican  form  of  govern- 
ment. 

This  form  of  government  is  ca'culatt-d  to  ctmibme  the  greatest 
number,  and  call  into  action  the  most  information  and  experience^ 
and  concentrate  more  well-directed  energy  and  operation,  for  the 
permanent  spread  of  the  Gsspcl,  and  increase  and  edihcation  of  the 
church;  and  constitutes  a  more  perioanf'nt  wall  around  the  church, 
t^  keep  out  darkness,  error,  deiusion>  heresy,  and   infidelity,   than 


•29f! 

afly  other  form  ut  church  government  utifki- the  sLiii.      It  i=,  therc- 
fbre,  the  best  form. 

N.  What  objection  have  you  to  a  congregatioiidl  form  ot 
church  government  ? 

■A.  First  :  Because  it  is  not  the  Bible  form.  See  the  Scrip- 
tures before  cite(!.  Second  :  Because  if,  in  a  great  measure,  lacks 
every  qualification  mentioned  as  constituting  the  excellence  of  the 
elective  republican  form.  Any  one  congregation  unconnected  and 
separate  from  all  others,  be  its  discipline  what  it  iviay,  will  be  few:n 
number,  destitute  of  the  information  and  experience  of  otheis,  have 
no  combined  energy  and  operation  for  the  spread  of  the  Gospel,  and 
increase  and  edification  of  the  church  ',  and  constitutes  but  a  feeble 
v/all  to  secure  the  land  against  darkness,  v/ickedness,  error,  de- 
lusion, heresy,  and  infidelity. 

N.  Might  not  all  the  congregations  associate  together  under 
some  appropriate  regulations,  that  would  combine  all  th<»  advantages 
of  independence,  with  all  the  advantages  of  an  extensive  combina- 
tion ? 

A.  This  has  been  attempted^  t«  remedy  the  evils  of  the  coc- 
gregational  plan  ;  and,  has,  in  some  measure,  answered  t!;e  pur- 
pose. But  it  is  impossible  to  form  such  an  association  betw^eea 
piirts,  independent  of  each  other,  and  independent  of  the  whole  ^ 
and  yet  tiiat  the  whole  should  be  independent  of  any  one  part.  It 
will,  therefore,  be  impossible  for  the  parts  to  obtain  ail  the  advan- 
tages ot  indepe?:dent parts,  and,  also,  of  an  independent  whole.- 

Some  of  the  advantages  of  the  independent  parts,  must  be  given 
up,  for  the  sake  of  greater  advantages  derived  from  the  associated 
whole.  This  would  represent  the  American  States,  under  the  coTt- 
Pederation. 

But  this  association  is  nut  so  complete  and  perfect  as  to  consti- 
tute one  united  independent  whole,  out  of  many  constituent  parts, 
independent  of  each  otlier,  but  not  independent  of  the  whole  ;  for, 
as  it  respects  the  whole,  all  the  parts  arc  members  of  one  body. 
K  Pliu'ibus  Unum. 

•  This  represents  the  United  States,  under  the  Constitution  | 
which  is  an  elective  republican  form  of  government.  And,  in  pro- 
portion as  there  is  more-unity  of  all  the  parts,  in  one  body,  so  there 
is  inure  strength. 

N.  Vvh.y  do  you  prefer  an  elective,  republican  form  of  church 
■/'n'ernment,  to  a  more  completely  democratical  form  of  govern- 
ment  ? 

A.  In  order  to  the  most  extensive  spread  of  the  Gospel,  and  in- 
crease of  the  church,   in  numbers,  Gospel  light,  decency,  holiness, 


298 


good  order,  peace,  happiness,  and  every  good  work  and  inipiovu- 
mcnt  5  nnfi  to  keep  out  and  banish  datkness,  ignorauco,  stupidity, 
fraud,  backbilir.fvs,  jars,  cootentions,  errors,  heresies,  infidelity,  and 
every  hateful  wickedness  ;  it  is  exceedino;ly  necessary  thai  informa- 
tion and  experience  should  take  the  lead,  in  the  o;overnment  and  dis- 
cipline of  the  church.  This  advantage  may  be  gained,  where  the 
best  qualified  men  are  chosen,  or  elected,  whose  oflicial  business  it 
is  to  manage  the  concerns  of  the  church. 

•  But,  in  a  more  complete  democracy,  where  it  is  equally  the 
l>usi!5ess  of  al!,  old  and  young,  male  and  female,  black  and  white, 
information  and  experience  may  be  entirely  overrun  by  ignorance 
and  inexperience.  And  every  improvement  whieh  might  have  been 
made,  even  in  a.  short  time,  may  be  kept  back  for  ages. 

And,  as  it  is  neither  natural,  reasonable,  nor  Scriptural,  that 
the  children  should  be  the  teachers  and  rulers  in  a  family:  so  young 
professors  of  religion  are  admitted  into  the  church  as  disciples  or 
learners  ;  but  not  as  teachers  or  rulers.  Wherefore,  the  concerns  of 
the  church  were  committed  to  men  approved  and  elected,  or  chosen 
and  set  apart  for  that  purpose.     See  Acts  6.  3 — 7,  and  15.  2 — 27. 

N.  What  objection  have  you  to  a  hierarchy,  or  an  episcopdl 
form  of  church  goverment .' 

A.  A  hierarcliy,  or  episcopal  form  of  church  government,  is 
so  much  like  a  monarchy,  or  kingly  form  of  government,  that  Kings 
have  always  preferred  an  episcopal  form  of  church  government.  Re- 
member how  Popery  has  stood  among  the  Kings  of  the  earth.  And 
how  the  High  Church  stands  in  England.  And,  also,  the  bloody 
contentions  between  the  King  and  the  Cameronians  of  Scotland. 
The  King,  wishing  to  establish  the  Episcopal  form  of  church  govern- 
ment, and  tl'.e  Cauieronians  wishing  to  establish  the  Presbyterian 
form  of  government. 

In  an  Episcopal  government,  the  people  have  no  vote,  either  by 
thexhselves  or  by  their  representatives,  for  those  uho  are  to  rule  over 
them,  or  for  those  who  are  to  be  their  preachers.  They  must  put 
up  with  whomsoever  the  clergy  may  please  to  place  over  them,  whe- 
ther they  are  pleased  or  not.  Neither  have  they  any  vote  for  or 
against  those  that  are  to  be  admitted  as  members  of  the  church, 
with  whom  they  have  to  associate  as  Christian  bretliren.  Nor  for 
ihe  appropriaiion  of  their  money,  nor  in  any  of  the  concerns  of  the 
church. 

In  this  form  of  government,  there  is  a  broad  ground  laid  for 
ambitious  clergymen  to  scufUe,  scramble,  and  climb,  to  the  diller- 
cnt  grades  or  oftices  ;  and  the  most  cunning  and  ambitious,  not  the 
most  deserving,  are  apt,  in  a  short  time,  to  fill  the  highest  places. 


299 

For  they  can  never  be  contcnfod  with  a  becoming  cqualitj  with  their 
e({uiils.  They  will  behead,  vintl,  as  tiiey  are  the  onty  judges  of 
the  qualifications  of  those  who  are  to  be  clergymen,  and  have  the 
conferring  the  offices  and  places,  they  are  nearly  sure  to  confer  the 
offices  and  places  on  such  men  us  they  thinkwill  best  suit  their  own 
;i!tibitious  views. 

Wheietore,  in- process  of  time,  the  church  will  be  stocked  wiiii 
a  succession  of  uui^ocHy  clergymen,  ignorant  and  careless  of  Diviat; 
tilings  ;  bat  cunain;i;  and  ambitious  in  things  of  the  world.  And 
these  clergy  will,  fur  the  sake  \^S  making  a  large  party,  fiii  the  church 
with  professors' that  have  no  ioii-i.i;i,  atjd  fcecl  ihe'.n  on  wind,  error. 
and  Jalse'nood.  VVitte-?  Por)eiy,  atiil  the  Church  of  England,  and 
Episcopacy,  so  far  as  it  Uis  gained, a  tooting  in  Scotland  and  Ameri- 
ca. The  whole  system  of  ^*--|>iscopacy  has  its  loandadonin  h.iiman  am- 
bition aad  cunning  ^  :  ;,  but  ii;  is  not  authorized  by  the 
ilible, 

N.  Does  t!ie  Bible  make  no  distinction  between  Bishops  and 
other  Preachers  ? 

A.  The  PreaciiOrs  tliat  were  oriauied  to  preacii  the  Gospel 5 
were  all  called  Bi-ilmps.  ij.ioiuse  theyjmdtiie  oversight  of  the  church, 
and  there  was  no  distinction  betvveen  them  in  point  of  ofiice.  li 
should  be  remembered  that  any  uuthonty  one  bad  more  than  ano- 
ther, was  derived  (vo^v,  l;is  iii^pirauu;;,  uad  vvas  not  conferred  with 
his  Office.  All  the  ordained  preachers,  as  they  had  t!ie  oversight  of 
the  church,  were  called  Bishops,  and  v*'ere  precisely  equal  in  point 
of  oUice  and  grade  in  the  church.  All  the  different  degrees  of  of- 
fice and  place  in  t.iie  church,  were  the  invention  of  ambitious  men, 
in  after  ages  ;  and  will  be  advocated  by  ambitious  men,  v/hilever 
there  is  a'prospect  of  holding  them. 

N.-  Was  there  any  duTerence  between  a  Bishop  and  aU 
Eider  r 

A.  Every  Bishop  of  Preacher  was  an  Elder;  but  every  Elder  was 
not  a  Bishop  or  Preacher.  See  1  Tim.  5.  IT.  "  Let  the  Elders 
that  rule  well  be  counted  worthy  of  double  honor,  especially  they 
\yho  la'ooi-  la  word  and  doctrine."  Here  appears  to  have  been  some 
Elders  w'.io  wae  preachers,  who  ruled  well; and,  also,  some  Elders 
that  were  not  Preachers,  who  ruled  well,  notwithstanding  all  that 
has  been  said  to  the  contrary. 

"  And  when  they  had  ordaioed  them  Elders  in  every  church." 
Acts  14.  :23.  These  Elders  could  not  have  been  Preachers.  For 
■Paul  and  Barnabas  had.  been,  not  very  long  before,  sepiraied  and 
sent  to  the  Gentiles.     See  Acts  13th  and  I4th  chapters. 

They  started  from  Antioch,  in  Syria,  and  went  to  Seluoia,  and 


3bi) 

thence  they  saiied  to  the  Island  Ciprus,  a»d  pi-eacheu  at  Sataniis. 
and  went  through  the  isle  to  Paphos  ;  from  tlience  tliey  saileii  iu 
Peiga.  in  Pamphylia,  and  (mm  Perga  they  catne  to  Antioch,  in  Pisi- 
dia,  wliich  is  a  province  of  Asia  Minor.  Being  illy  treated  at  this 
place,  they  tiinjcd  directly  to  the  Gentdes-.  See  x\cts  13.  46.  And 
they  came  next  to  Iconiatn  ;  and  from  thence  they  fled  to  Lystra 
aiid  Derbe,  cities  of  Lycaunia,  and  unto  the  region  that  lyeih  round 
about.  From  Derbe  they  returned  ihrougli  Lystra,  Iconium,  and 
Aniioch,  in  Pibidia  j  and,  when  they  had  ordained  them  Elders  in 
every  church,  they  passed  on  throughout  Piy:idia,  and  came  to  Pam 
.phylia,  from  thence  to  Perga,  thence  to  A.ttalia,  and  from  thence 
tliey  took  slapping  and  saiied  back  to  Antioch,  in  Syria,  from 
Vyhence  they  starred. 

Now,  if  tht^e  Eiders  were  Preachers,  Paul  tnust  have  laid  hig 
ijands,  very  suddenly,  on  a  set  of  novices,  which  would  have  beers 
practicing  duecti)  contriry  to  his  own  dir  ctions.  See  1  i  in>, 
3»  6,  and  5.  2r2.  For  the  wliole  journey  vva?-.  co'nparatively  short. 
V\  h-etiier  these  men  weie  Jews  or  Gentiles,  they  were  but  badly 
qualified  ior  ruling  Elders  ;  and  they  were  far  less  qualified  fur 
Bisbops  or  Preachers. 

They  must  have  been-rnling  Elders,  thatdid  not  labor  in  word 
and  doctrine.  Set  1  Tun.  5.  17.  And,  moreover,  it  is  a  reproach 
to  those  men,  to  say  ibal  they  were  Preachers,  that  did  not  labor  iu 
word  and  doctrine.  The  Apostles  would  not  have  suffered*  the 
churches  to  have  been  polluted  will)  such  a  set  of  lazy,  sleepy  drones. 
We  may  know  this  to  be  true.  For,  John  Mark  started  cut  on 
this  same  journey  with  Paul  and  Barnabas  ;  and  barely  because  John 
left  thein  at  Perga,  in  Pamph^luis  and  returned  to  Jerusalem,  in 
stead  of  going  on  with  them  to  the  work,  a  sharp  contention  arose 
between  Paul  and  Barnabas  ;  See  Acts  13.  13,  and  15.  36 — 40  ; 
insomuch  that  Paul  and  Barnabas  parted  j  and  Paul  would  have 
John  Mark  with  him  no  lonjier- 

Neither  does  the  Bible  intimate  that  ever  God  made,  or  meant 
to  make,  a  set  of  preachers,  and  give  theni  suc^  a,  kind  of  graduated 
rule  over  one  another,  and  over  all  the  world  besides,  as  nas  been, 
and  is  yet,  exercised  in  Episcopal  governments  ;  tlie  Jewishhiei- 
archy  not  excepted. 

But  I  am  convinced  that  God  hasestablished  a  church  that  shaU 
spread  over  and  occupy  the  whole  world,  and  every  member  in  that 
church  ougiu  to  feel  an  equal  mterest  and  concern  for  its  prosperity. 
Its  form  of  governiueni  is  an  elective  repub'ican  form  of  ecclesiasti 
cal  government,  which  G«d  ha-*  intimateil,  in  ttie  Bible,  as  the  verj- 
best  form,     it  being  well  calceilatefll  to  cuialiiie  the  wiioie   worW. 


Jews  iiud  Gentiles,  in  one  church,  under  the  Christian  dispcuaalioiij 
and  conslitatingamore  permanent  v/all  around  the  whole,  combin- 
ing all  its  parts,  fitly  joined  together,  in  one  compact  body,  and 
which  will  secure  the  greatest  advantages  to  the  church,  with  the  few- 
est inconveniences.     Eph.  3.  10 — 22.     Col.  2.  19. 

The  officers,  named  in  the  Bibli,  arc  Preachers,  rulii^g  Elders, 
and  Deacons:  And  the  congregations  have  a  right  to  choose  (heir 
Preacher,  who  is  to  preach  statedly  to  them,  and  elect  or  choose 
their  Elders  and  Deacons  out  of  those  men  that  are  approved  for 
their  information,  experience,  and  Godly  conduct  and  conversation 
"in  the  world. 

N.  How  man'y  ecclesiastical  courts  do  you  think  are  necessa- 
ry for  the  we'1-managing  the  concerns  of  the  church  ? 

A.  If  there  were  but  one  congregation,  perhaps  one  churrh 
session  would  do.  But  when  there  area  number  of  congregations, 
each  should  have  a  session,  and  all  might  be  united  under  one  Pres- 
bytery. But,  if  tlie  number  be  further  extended,  it  may  be  neces- 
sary to  unite  a  number  of  Presbyteries  under  one  Synod.  And,  by 
a  further  extension,  it  may  be  necessary  to  unite  a  number  of 
Synods  under  one  General  Assenibly.  Bat  I  do  not  see  that  there 
would  be  need  for  more  than  one  General  Assembly,  even  if  tl)e 
church  occupied  the  whole  world. 

N.  If  the  ciiurch  occupied  the  whole  world,  where  would  be 
the  most  eligible  placa  for  the  General  Assembly? 

A.  I  think,  at  Jerusalem^  And  it  may  ba  that  "Mount 
Zion,  or  Sion,"  may  yet  become  literally  the  seat  of  the  "General 
Assembly,  of  the  Church  of  the  First  Born."  Heb.  12.  22,  2^^. 
For,  "  beautiful  for  ■iuuation,  the  joy  of  the  whole  earth  is  Mount 
Zion,"  P>al.  48.  2.  "  Audit  siiall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  days, 
thai- the  mountain  (if  the  Lord's  H')use  shall  be  e,-«tabiished  in  the 
topof  the  mountains,  ani  shall  be  exil'td  above  il)e  hills  ;  and  all 
nations  shall  flow  unto  it  ,•  af.d  many  people  shall  go  and  say,  C  me 
yf>,  and  let  us  go  up  to  tiie  mou'ifaio  oCtiie  L.)r-i,  to  t'-'e  house  ot  vhe 
God  of  Jacob  ;  aad  he  wi'lt'^ach  us  of  -is  ways,  and  we  will  wa'k  in 
his  paths  ;  for  out  of  Z'on  snail  go  fordi  th^^  law,  and  the  word  of 
the  Lord  from  Jerusalem."     Isaiah  2.   2,  3.      Mica')  4.  I,  2 

N.  Why  might  not  A'nerica  retain  her  Church  General  As- 
sembly; and  the  General  As-^einbly  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  ex- 
tend over  Europe  ;  and  Asia  and  Africa  eacli  eslabllsh  one. 
Would  it  not  be  more  convenient  for  the  four  quarters  of  the 
world  ? 

A.     No;  the  time  may  come,  and  I  hope  it  will  come,  when  is 
will  be  more  convenient  for  the  world,  and  each  quarter  ot  it,   to 

z 


302 

hfive  but  one  General  Assembly,  than  toliave  more  than  one.  Tliero 
QUg'it  not  to  be  four  separate  independent  churches,  differing 
iri  their  laws  and  discipline,  as  perhaps  thej  would. 

Tiiere  ought  to  be  but  one  church,  with  all  its  parts  firlj  joined 
together  in  one  compact  body,  under  one  law  and  disaipline,  with 
all  its  parts  proportionate!}' represented  in  one  last  resort,  or  Gene- 
ral Assembly,  which  should  constitute  the  bond  o- centre  of  union, 
peace,  correspondence,  and  mutual  confidence,  among  all  the  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  church,  over  the  whole  world.  And,  I  say,  let 
'*  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Pre-^byteriiin  Church  in  the  United 
States  of  America,"  beany  where  on  either  side  of  tlie  Monntain?%- 
ratiiCr  than  to  divide  it.     See  1  Kings  S.  26. 

Every  other  plan  seems  to  me  only  a  mere  time-serving  expe- 
dient, adopted  in  these  divided,  distracted,  and  distorted  ages  of 
the  world. 

Now,  if  you  make  the  whole  world  the  circumference,  Jerusa- 
iem  will  be  the  mast  appropriate  centre  to  which  the  representatives 
PI  ay  go  up  from  the  different  quarters  of  the  world,  and  from  the 
!  Vuids  of  the  ocean.  And  from  which  centre,  living  waters  may  gu 
■.  iji  of  the  former  sea,  and  to  the  hinder  sea,  until  they  shall  make 
J.id  the  whole  ecclesiastical  city. 

N.     This  would  be  very  desirable  truly. 

A.  Yes,  it  is.  And,  therefore,  you  and  I  ought  to  take  great 
care  to  umlerstand  the  difference  between  tiic  different  plans  of 
cjiurch  government,  that  we  may  know  and  adopt  the  best ;  that  we 
may  help  to  prostiote  that  great  and  desirable  object  of  church  gov- 
ernment, instead  of  throwing  every  obstacle  in  the  way,  by  adopt- 
ing and  promoting  the  end  of  some  form  of  government,  which  is 
far  from  being  calculated  to  ever  bring  out  that  great  and  desirable 
object. 

I  would  recommend  to  your  careful  attention  the  form  of  gov- 
ernment and  discipline  of  the  Pre^bytfriftn  Church  in  the  Unifed 
States  of  America.  I  have  heard  a  numbpr  of  gontlomen  of  law 
knowledge,  express  thfir  high  admiration  of  it.  as  bein?  \]\p  most 
.complete  and  perfect  system  of  law  that  could  be  contained  in  so 
Short  n  compass. 

Every  bad.  short-ssijjhted.  ambitious. pa' fv-«piri<ed.  tiipc-serving 
form  of  jroverntoent,  will,  sooner  or  biter,  conif  to  an  end.  Butthe 
very  best  will  rontinue  down  throu!?,''.  all  sucepding-  !»9:e?,  to  th?  end 
of  the  world.  We  should  retnemher  tl>at  tie  jyoverrtnitrt  is  a  com- 
pact between  pro«ent,  past,  and  future  jreneratinns.  And  that  eve- 
ry present  generation  Is  entitled  to  all  the  advamages  and  impiove- 
Wiel?t6  of  the  past ;  and  is  bound  to  hand  down  all  those  advantages;,. 


3€)3 

wilu  so:ue  l-.npruvi'iuent,   to  the  next  generation  succeeaing,  while 
the  u'ui-lil  stands. 

Kvi'i-y  bid  fdi-.a  uf  church  government,  will  move  on  for  a 
while  like  a  babble  floating  down  a  stream,  and  becoming  by  de- 
gices  weaker,  until  the  wind,  or.  waves,  or  something  breaks  the 
bubble,  and  it  id  lost  in  the  running  stream.  While  the  very  best 
farm  of  government  will  move  on  like  a  rolling  ball,  or  a  running 
stream,  continuaiiy  increasing  and  gaining  strength,  until  the  end 
nf  time. 

But,  under  such  a  government,  calculated  to  proaiote  and  se- 
cuic  every  advantage  and  improvement,  v/ho  can  now  cor- 
ceive  the  vastincrease  of  light  and  truth  that  will  be  when  the  moon 
shall  be  as  the  sun,  and  the  sun  seven-fold,  even  near  the  beginningr 
and  siill  increasing  5  or  who  can  describe  the  increase  of  peace, 
righteousness,  good  order,  and  happiness,  that  shall  be  throughout 
all  their  habitations,  when  there  shall  be  uotbins  to  hurt,  or  destroy, 
in  all  th-C  iit4.j  mountain  for  many  ages. 

For,  behold  God  will  yet  create  Jerusalem  a  rejoicing,  and  l-er 
people  a  joy.  Wherefore,  for  Zion's  sake,  we  should  not  hold  our 
peace,  and  for  Jerusalem's  sake,  we  should  not  rest,  until  tlicright- 
eou-iness  th.ereof  go  forfh  as  bri^jhtnesa,  and  t'le  salvation  the'-i.mf.  as 
a  lamp  that  burneth.  For,  behold  the  Lord  hath  proclaimed  untb 
the  end  of  the  world.  Say  ye  to  the  daughter  of  Zion,  behold  thy 
salvation  cometh.  And  the  Redeemer  sh?Jl  come  to  Zion,  and  unto 
them  that  turn  fi-om  transgression  in  Jacob,  saith  the  Lord.  There- 
lore,  arise,  shine,  for  thy  light  is  come,  and  the  glory  of  t!ie  I^nrd 
is  risen  upon  thee.  For,  although  darkness  hath  covered  the  earth, 
and  gross  darkness  the  people  ;  yet  the  Lord  shall  arise  upon  thee, 
and  his  glory  shall  be  seen  upon  thee.  And  the  Gentiles  shall 
come  to  thy  light,  and  Kings  to  the  brightness  of  thy  rising.  And  they 
shall  call  thee  the  City  of  the  Lord  ;  the  Zion  of  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel.  And,  v/hereas  thou  has  been  forsaken  and  hated,  so  that  no 
man  went  through  thee,  I  will  ,make  thee  an  eternal  excellency;  a 
joy  of  many  generations.  For  brass,  I  will  bring  goldj  and  for  iron,  I 
will  bring  silver;  and  for  wood,  brass;  and  for  stones,  iron.  I  wili^j 
also,  make  thine  officers,  peace:  and  thine  enactors,  righteousness-. 
Violence  shall  no  more  be  Iicard  in  thy  land,  wasting  nor  destruc- 
tion within  thy  borders;  but  thou  shalt  call  thy  walls  salvation,  and 
thy  gates  praise.  Therefore,  o!i  Jerusalem,  arise,  shine;  for  thy 
light  is  come,  and  the  glory  of  the  Sun  of  righteousness  is  risen  upon 
thee,  with  healing  in  his  wings,  and  thy  people,  also,  shall  be  all 
righteous.  And  the  sun  shall  be  no  more  thy  light  by  day  ;  neither 
for  brightness,  shall  the  moon   jrive   her   light  unto  thee  ;  but  t!fo 


304 

'Lorii  bintU  ije  ur.tu  thee  an  everlasting  ligliU  aucl  th}'  Uoii,  tiij,  glif- 
ry.  I  the  Lord  will  hasten  it,  in  its  time.  Therefore,  awake,  awake, 
stand  up,  0  Jerusalem,  which  has  drunk,  at  the  hand  of  the  Lord, 
the  cup  of4iis  fury  :  Thou  hast  drunken  the  dregs  of  the  cupof  trciii- 
blii^g,  and  wrung  them  out.  But  the  Lord  shall  comfort  Zion  : 
lie  will  comfort  all  her  waste  places  ;  and  he  will  make  her  wilticr- 
ness  like  Eden,  and  her  desert  like  the  garden  of  the  Lord.  Where- 
!ore,  av.'ake,  awake:  put  on  thy  strength,  0  Zion  ;  put  on  thy  beau- 
tiful garments,  O  Jerusalem,  the  Holy  City  :  For,  henceforth,  there 
i^hail  no  n^.ore  come  into  thee,  the  uncircumcised  and  the  unclean, 
flow  beautifiil,  upon  the  mountains,  are  the  feet  of  him  thatbringelh 
i^ood  tiding^-,,  that  publisheth  peace  and  salvation  :  that  saith  unto 
Zion,  thy  God  reigueth.  Thy  watchmen  shall  lift  up  the  voice  ; 
•-viili  the  voice  together  shall  they  sisig  :'forthey  slial!  have  one  heart. 
and  one  way,  and  shall  ser  eye  to  eye,    (in   doctrine,  governmerit. 

•'■-  .:..i:..„  \  when  the  Lord  shall  bring  again  Zion.  Break  forth 
anuuiao.p.."-,;    •■  "  '       -'-^"^  ?  for  the  Lord 

into  joy,  sing  together,  ye  waste  places  oi  jerasui^... ,  _. 
hatli  comforted  Lis  people,  he  hath  redeemed  Jerusalem  ?  and  all  the 
earth  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God. 

\dmitting  these  Scriptures  may  have  a  reference  to  the  whole 
clu!rch;yet  itlippears  that  Jerusalem  may  be  the  centre,  to  which 
the  tribes,  or  representatives  may  go  up,  from  the  whole  world,  to  th. 
General  Assembly  of  the  Church  of  the  First  Born. 


©(DMTUBS'^i^i'lI©^ 


Sv^O 


ON  ELECTION  AND  PERSEVERANCE. 

N.     Friend  A.,   what  do  you  think  of   the  Bible  doctrine  o.( 
Election,  and  the  perseverance  of  the  Saints  ? 

A.  I  am  highly  pleascii  with  what  the  Bible  says  on  those  subjects; 
and  I  am  sorr)' that  (he  Bible  has  been  so  badly  perverted  on  these- 

points. 

When  t!je  Bible  sp?aks,  is  always  means  something  :  and  we 
should  try  honestly  to  ascen-tain  its  true  meaning,  and  believe  and 
practice  what  it  says  ;  let  others  do  as  they  may.  In  my  view,  the 
B;l>le,  in  these  doctrines,  sets  forth  the  iofinite  wisdom,  goodness, 
power,  and  perfections  of  God,  in  a  most  delightfal  maimer.  And 
veU  sometimos  these  doctrines  haveb^MMi  handled  so  as  to  make  eve- 
ry thrngjook  frightful  and  terrible  ,•  and,  on_  the  other  iiand.  some- 
times  They  have  been  handled   so  as  to  nvike  every   thing  look  ffs 


305 

gloomy  as  the  valley  anJ  shadow  of  death.  But,  when  these  doc- 
(rines  are  rightly  understood,  according  to  the  Bible,  they  are  terri- 
ble to  an  impenitent  sinner  only,  who  ought  to  feel  terror  iu  view 
of  the  Majesty  and  perfections  of  God . 

The  Bible  represents  a  sinner  as  being  so  wicked,  that  he  nevci- 
will  become  a  Christian,  if  he  was  left  to  himself;  and  that,  there- 
fore, all  sinners  would  live  and  die  sinners,  and  go  to  endless  dc 
struction,  if  the  Divine  Spirit  did  not  convince  them  of  sin,  and 
work  in  them  to  repentof  sin,  and  turn  to  God.  "  For,  every  ima- 
gination of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only  evil  continually.*' 
Gen.  G.  3.  And,  therefore,  "ye  will  not  come  unto  me  tliat  ye 
miffht  have  life."  John  5.  40.  And  the  same  is  mennt  in  the  fol- 
lowing  verse  :  "  No  man  can  come  unto  me,  except  the  Father, 
which  sent  me,  draw  him."     John  6.  44.* 

And  this  is  the  reason  Vv'hy  a  sinner  must  be  born  of  the  ?pirt, 
or  born  again,  "  I  say  unto  thee,  except  a  man  be  born  again,  he 
cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  John  S.  3.  To  be  born  tii 
the  Spirit,  is  to  have  their  hearts  set  right  by  the  Divine  Spirit,- 
And  this  making  hearts  right,  is  called  the  workmanship  of  God. 
"For  we  are  his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good 
works,  which  God  hath  before  ordained  that  we  should  walk  iu 
them."  Eph.  3.  10.  A.nd,  know  ye  not  '•  that  the  goodness  of  God 
leadeth  thee  to  repentance."     Bom. -2.  "4. 

Now,,  God  is  infinitely  wise,  and  always  was  so  ;  "  his  under- 
standing is  infinite."  Psal.  147.  5.  He  is  unchangeable.  Jame» 
1.  17.  Wherefore,  he  understands  his  own  work  ',  and,  when  he 
makes  new  hearts,  he  does  it  with  an  intention  to  do  it.  And,  as  he 
is  unchangeable,  he  is  always  in  the  same  mind,  and  never  take's 
any  new  notions.  Wherefore,  any  work  he  does,  he  alv/ays  intend- 
ed to  doitj  for  he  takes  no  new  notions.  If  he  makes  hearts  new  at 
any  time,  he  always  intended  to  do  it ;  for  he  takes  no  new  notions. 
Bu^  if  making  wicked  hearts  right,  is  a  wise  and  good  work,  tlien 
God  was  always  wise  and  good,  for  he  always  intended  to  do  it.. 
And,  now,  when  he  does  the  work  of  making  new  hearts,  he  begins 
the  work  with  an  intention  to  carry  it  on,  and  completely  keep  the 
new  man  living  a  life  of  true  faith,  as  a. Christian,  and  bring  him  to 
heaven  and  eternal  salvation  ;  or  el.se  he  begins  that  work  with  an 
intention  to  quit  it,  and  let  the  man  go  to  ruin. 

But  the  Bible  says — "  He  which  hath  begun  a  good  work  in  you 
will  perform  it  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ."  Phil.  1.  6.  An;],  in 
this  way,  "work  out  your  own  sal. ation  with  fear  and  trembling: 

*3ee  Moral  Ability. 


106 


i"i>r  it  is  Gi'J  u'r.icii  \voi';cth  In  van  bolh  to  will  and  to  do,  of  Idsgood 
Ijleiisuio."  Phil.  2.  12.  23.  Atid,  so,  they  are— --Kopt  by  the 
j);)V.'cr  nC  God  il!r(tijgh  faith  onto  salvation."  J  Pet.  1.5.  There- 
iorc.  God  says — "Atid  I  \vi!i  make  an  everlasting  covenant  with  them, 
that  I  will  not  turn  away  from  them,  to  do  them  good;  but  1  will 
put  my  fear  i:}  tiieir  hearts,  that  they  shall  not  d^'part  from  me.*'  Jere- 
miali  32.  40.  See  Covenant  of  Grace.  And,  that  night  in  which 
Christ  i'l^tituted  the  Sacrement  of  th.e  Supper,  and  before  he  left  the 
tipper  room,  he  made  known  part  of  his  last  will  and  Testament — 
•fiirhe  said — '*  Faliier,  1  will  ti:at  they  also  whom  thou  hast  given 
me  b.^  with  me  where  I  am;  tliat  thcj"  may  behold  my  glory,  Vv'hich 
tl'.o'j  hast  given  me."  Jolm  \7.  24.  And  this  is  the  Father's  will, 
which  hatii  sent  me,  that  ofall  which  he  hath  given  me  I  should 
lose  nothin,:;.  but  should  raise  it  up  again  at tiie  last  day.  x\nd  this 
is  ih.e  will  (  I'liiin  that  sent  me,  that  everyone  which  seeth  the  Son, 
and  be'!ie\'-;h  on  him,  may  have  everlasting  life:  and  I  will  rai^c  hia) 
up  at  tl-.cl;:,t  day."  John  6.  39,  40. 

Now,  if  it  be  the  will  of  God  the  Father,  S(m,  and  Holy  Spirit, 
to  keep  them,  after  they  are  renewed,  through  faith  unto  salvation, 
it  certainly  will  be  dune.  'Wherefore,  Christ  says — "Verily, 
\erily,  I  say  unto  you — He  that  believeth  on  me  hath  everlasting 
life.  John  5.  47.  See,  also,  3.  36,  and.  5.  24.  "  And  this  is  life 
et'jrna!,  that  they  might  know  thee,  the  only  trr.e  ,God,  and  Jesus 
Christ,  whoin  thou  hast  sent."  Joh.n  17.  3.  Truesaving  failh  is 
Christianity,  and  true  Christianity,  is  spiritual  life.  Therefore,  he 
th.at  belie.veth,  hath  spiritual  life.  But  this  life  is  said  to  be  eternal, 
and  everlasting:  Therefore,  there  is  a  life  begun,  in  the  believer, 
that  will  never  end:  otherwise,  it  is  not   everlasting  life. 

The  Savi;)ur  says — "  My  Sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know 
them,  and  they  follow  me  :  and  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life  ;  and 
xhcy  shall  never  peri  ,h,  neither  sliall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my 
hand.  My  Father,  which  gave  them  me,  is  greater  than  all;  and 
none  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father's  hand."  John  10.  27 
■ — 29.  Thus,  "their  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God"  (for  safekeeping.): 

And  when  Christ,  who  is  their  life,  shall  appear,  then  shall  they 
also  appear  with  him  in  glory.  Col.  3.  3.4.  Therefore,  if  you 
be  Christians — "  All  things  are  yours  ;  whether  Paul  or  Apollos, 
or  Cephas,  or  the  world,  or  life,  or  death,  or  things  present,  or 
thino-s  to  come,  all  are  yours,  and  ye  are  Christ's,  and  Christ  is 
God's."  1  Cor.  3.  21—23.  "Nay,  inall  these  things  we  are  more 
t'lan  conquerors,  through  lum  thai  loved  us.  For  I  am  persuaded, 
hit  neither  dcat!),  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  pow- 
ers, njr  things  present,  nor  things  to   come,  norheightj  nor  depth, 


307 

noriiriV  other  cre'.itu re,  shall  be  able  to  separate  Us   IVoui   tlie  love 
of  Gotl,  which  is  in  Cnrist  Jesus  our  Lord."  Iloin.  8.  S7 — 39 

•  N.     B'lt  let    me  ask — Migiil   not    the  believer  separate   lihnself 
from  the  love  of  God? 

A.  The  believer's  love  to  God  is  one  thing,  and  God's  love  to  tiic 
believer  is  another  thing.  T'le  believer  i.cver  can  seperate  hiui'-ctt 
further,  from  his  own  love  tq  Gud,  norfrun)  God's  love  fo  him,  than 
he  was,  before  he  had  any  love  to  Go.d,  at  all.  Bat  God  so  loved 
ihe  world,  while  thcj  were  yet  sinners,  tiiat  he  sent  his  Son.  and  the 
Holy  Spirit,  to  turn  sinners  to  love  God.  See  John  3.  16.  17  Rom. 
5,  7.  8.  1  John  4.  9.  10,  Jl.  John  l6.  7—14  Jeremiah  31.  18. 
Wherefore,  .the  believer  cannot  s-^parate  himself  from  God's  love 
to  him.  And  this  is  what  the  Apostle  was  talking  ab:ut.  Therefore, 
we  are  more  than  conquerors,  through  him  tliat /ot'ei  us.  Iloin.  8, 
?)T.  We  should  never  talk  about  our  love  to  God,'  as  the  ground 
and  certainty  of  our  being  kept  from  falling  and  being  lost  ;  butit 
is  God's  love  to  us,  that  influences  God  to  keep  us  from  falling. 
"Ye  have  not  chosen  me,  but  I  have  chosen  you,  and  ordained  you, 
that  ye  should  go  and  bring  forth  fruit,  and  that  your  fruit  should 
remain."     John  15.   l6. 

Now,  I  have  stated  to  yoa  the  Bible  doctrine  of  Election,  and 
of  the  Perseverance  of  the  Saints,  both  ;  neither  of  which  can  be 
disputed,  without  disputing  the  truth  of  the  Bible.  And,  "  We 
are  bound  to  give  thanks  alway  to  God  for  you,  breiliren,  beloved 
of  the  Lord,  bacsuse  God  hath,  from  the  beginning,  chosen  you  to 
ialvatian,  through  the  sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  and  belief  of  the 
truth."  2  Thess.  2.  13.  And  it  is  easy  to  understand  Peter,  when 
he  says — "  Elect,  according  to  the  foreknowledge  ot  God  the  Fa- 
ther, through  the  sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  unto  obedience  and 
sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ."  1  Pet.  1.  2.  And  it  is 
equally  as  easy  to  understand  Paul,  when  he  says — "  For  whom  he 
did  foreknow,  he  also  did  predestinate  to  be  conformed  to  the  image 
of  his  Son,  that  he  might  be  the  first-bi)rn  am  .ng  many  brethren. 
Moreover,  whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also  called;  and  whom 
he  called,  them  he  also  justified  ;  and  whom  he  justified,  them  he 
also  glorified.  What  shall  we,  then,  say  to  these  things  ?  If  God 
be  fi:r  us,  who  can  be  against  us  ?"  Rom.  8.  29 — 31.  '•  And  we 
know  that  all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God, 
to  them  who  are  the  called  according  to  his  purpose."  Rom.  8.  28. 
There  are  many  other  places  in  the  Bible  of  the  same  purport;  but, 
if  these  do  not  satisfy  you,  brother  N. ,  neiMier  would  you  be  satis- 
fied with  it,  even  if  one  should  rise  from  the  dead,  and  try  to  satis- 
fy you  on  these  poiiits. 


308 

"N.  But  ai-e  they,  not  clccleJ  to  salvatibti,  after  they  becor.ie 
believers  ? 

A.  They  are  ejected  to  obedience,  or  to  be  believers,  as  well 
r.s  to  salvation,  after  they  arc  believers. 

N.  Do  you  believe,  that  whosoever  is  to  be  saved,  v/ill  be  saveify 
let  him  do  as  he  will:  and,  that,  whosoever  is  to  be  lost,  will  be  lost^ 
l-et  him  do  as  ho  can? 

A.  No.  That  is  a  falsehood  that  has  been  raised  through  dislike 
lo  the  true  Bible  doctrines  on  these  points.  I  know  ot  no  one  that 
ever  believed  any  such  a  thing ;  although  it  has  been  often  said,  that 
some  people  bcleivcd  it.  I  believe  that  they  are  elected,  or,  from 
the  beginning,  chosen  of  God,  to  salvation,  througli  sanctification  0|t 
<'he  Spirit,  and  belief  of  the  truth.     2  Thess.   2.  13. 

N.     But  does  not  the  sinner  become  willing  first  ? 

A.  No.  It  is  not  of  iiim  that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that  runneth. 
Horn.  9  16  "A  willing  mind  should  be  accepted."  2  Cor.  8. 
•  2.  It  is  because  he  is  unwilling,  tiiat  he  must  be  born  agnin,  or 
made  willing  Uy  tlu'  Divine  Spirit.  And,  in  this  way,  a  great  mul- 
titude, so  great  that  no  man  can  number  them,  shall  be  renewed  by 
the  Divine  Spirii,  and  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto 
salvation;  all  of  whom  would,  otherwise,  have  gone  to  ruin.  And 
this  plan  shews  the  unbounded  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God,  "who 
worketh  all  thingi^;  after  tiie  counsel  of  his  own  will."     Eph.  1;  11. 

N.  But  are  there  not  a  number  of  places  in  the  Bible,  to  the  cou- 
irary  of  you  statement  ? 

A.  No.  There  are  a  number,  that  may  appear  so  to  thos|rf 
^yho  do  not  take  sufficient  care  to  understarni  what  the  Bible  i^ 
sneaking  about,  in  those  places, 

N.     Wiiat  is  meant  in   Ezekiel   3«    20 — "  Whca   a  righteou 
man  doth  turn  from  his  righteousness,  and  commit  iniquity,  and  I 
lay  a  stumbling-biock  before,  him,  he  shall  die  r''      See,  also,  18th 
chapter  24,  and  33d  chapter,  13th  verse,  all  to  the  same  purport. 

A.  ''  Moses  describeth  the  righteousness  which  is  of  the  layXg 
That  the  man  which  doeth  those  things  snail  live  by  them."  Uom, 
iO.  5,  Bat  the  righteousness  of/ai7/»  in  Christ  is  a  diftcrent  mat- 
ter.    See  Rom.  10.   6, 

Now,  all  such  places  as  that  in  Ezekiel,  is  speaking  of  the 
righteousness  of  the  law  ;  but  not  the  rigtiteousness  of  faith,  which 
is  Christianity.  This  is  evident  from  what  is  said  of  the  stumbling- 
block  being  laid  before  them,  wliich  stumblioir-b'iock  is  C  hrist. 
Paul  has  reference  to  the  same  tiling,  when  he  says — "•  But  Israel, 
which  followed  after  the  law  of  righteousness,  hath  not  attained  to 
.'l^!?Jaw  of  righteousness.     Wherefore  ?    Because  tliey  sought  it,  not 


S09- 


Uy  iaiii),  but,  ;vs  it  were,  by  the  works  oF  the  l>iw  :  i'or  they  stura- 
b!ecl  at  tlie  stu'.nbling-stone  :  As  it  is  written,  Behold,  I  lay  in  Sion  a 
stumbling-stone,  and  rock  ot  olVeiice  :  and  whosoever  believetl\  o» 
1)11)1  siiall  not  be  ashamed. "  Rum.  9.31—33.  "  But  we  preach 
Christ  cruciiied,  unto  the  Jews  a  stumbling-  block."  See  1  Cor: 
1.  23.  Now,  ever  since  the  fall  of  Adam,  mankind  ail,  a=.  well  as 
the  Jews,  have  sinned  and  turned  from  the  righteousness  of  the  law, 
and  have  committed  iniquity  ;  and  God,  in  the  Gospel,  has  thrown 
the  stumbling-block,  Christ,  before  a  guilty  and  fallen  world  ;  and, 
if  they  turn  from  t!ie  righteousness  of  the  law,  and  blunder  over  the 
stumbling-stone,  Christ,  they  shall  surely  die.  But  this  does  not 
mean  that  a  Christian  ever  lo^es  his  Christianity. 

N.  If  a  person  professes  to  be  a  Christian,  and,  after  a  while, 
^uits  it,  and  turns  out  worse  than  ever  ;  do  you  suppose  that  he  still 
l)as  some  Christianity,  and  that  he  shall  be  saved  ? 

A.  No  :  I  should  think  he  had  noue  at  first.  And,  if  he 
should  live  and  die  that  way,  I  shc^uld  be  surp  he  had  none  ;  for,  if 

HBuaa,  ne  should  have  been  kepi  uy  inc  j^C-',^!'"^  ""^''  ^^'"''- ' 
unto  salvation*     But  all  such  go  out  from  us,  that  it  may  be  made, 
tnanifest  that  they  were  not  of  us.      1  John  2.  19. 

N.     Had  not  Saul,  the  Kin:^  of  Israel  a  new  heart?  ■   . 

A.  No.  The  L')rd  gav.-  Siul  -.no^he:  h^art,  bu!  not  a  new 
heart;  I  Saml.  10.  9.  it  was  a  heart  to  prophesy.  See  1  SamI:' 
10.    10. 

N.     But  did  not  Judas  Iscariot  fall  from  grace.'' 

A.  No-  He  fell  from  his  ministry  and  apostleship,  but 
not  from  grace,  for  he  had  none.  "Ye  which  have  fuliowed  me  in 
the  regenerjition,  when  the  Son  of  man  shall  sir  in  the  Throne  of  his 
Glory,  ye  also  shall  sit  upon  twelve  thrones,  judging  the  twelve  tribes 
of  Israel.  •  Matlh.  19.  28,  To  follow  in  the  regeneration,  is  the 
very  b'.'gi lining  to  be  a  Christian.  Now,  if  Judas  followed  in  the 
regeneration,  or  began  to  be  a  Christian,  he  sits  upon  one  of  the 
twelve  thcones.  and  is  saved  ;  but,  if  iie  be  not  saved,  it  is  because 
he  did  nut  follow  in  the  regeneration,  and,  consequently,  never  be- 
gan to  be  a  Christian.  Bit  Judas  ^eeins  not  to  have  obtained  one 
of  the  Twelve  thrones  ;  fjr  Ma'thias  was  chosen  to  take  pirt  n{  tiie 
ministry  and  apojtlesiiip  from  whic!)  Judas,  by  transgression  fell, 
l4jat  he  might  go  to  his  own  place.  Acts  1.  25.  And  "  JesuS 
knew  fi-om  the  beginning  who  they  were  that  believed  not,  and  who 
sh;!uld  betriv  hu;-.''  John  6.  64.  "Jesus  answered  theat,  Have  I 
and  chosen  yov,  twelve,  and  one  of  you  is  a  devil  ?  H<'  spake  of  Ju- 
das Iscariot."  J.)hn  6.  70,. 71.  Judas  was  a  thief,  and  had  the  Dag, 
or  purse.     Jsh:il2.  6.     He  was  unclean.     Joim  13.  H-     After  be- 


■iitiy 


Li-ajiiig  his  master,  he  Irang  himself,  Matih.  ^2r.  5,  Xov»  Judai 
I  appears  ru  hive  been  a  bad  man  all  the  time  he  lived,  even  from  the 
;  begir.uiijg  ;  for  Jesus  seems  to  have  known  that  i;e  beilcved  not,  from 
(he  begi.ining-.  He  seeias  to  have  been  a  hypocrit'ical  spy  all  the 
time,  in  the  family  of  Ciirist.  I  eannot  acknowledge  him  for  a 
Christian,  in  any  part  o[  his  life. 

N.  But  Judas  was  an  Apostle,  and' was  in  company  wlicn  de- 
vils were  cast  out,  and,  perhap.^,  he  c;ist  out  some  himsi'lr.  Now, 
is  it  likely  tb.at  lie  shQuld  be  mide  an  Apostle  while  i-.e  -.vas  a  bad 
man  j  or,  that  he  should  cast  oat  devils,  and  him  a  bad  man  ? 

A.  There  was  as  much  wisdom  and  propriety  in  sending  him 
as  an  Apostle  at  first,  when  he  was  a  bad  man,  as  there  was  in  con- 
tinuing him  in  office  when  he  was  a  bad  man.  But,  althougii  Christ 
knew  that  he  was  a  devil,  yet  he  did  not  break  him  of  his  office  5  and 
he  a<.tcd  with  wisdom  and  propriety  in  so  doing.  For  lie  dealt 
wi;li  Judas  on  the  same  governmental  principles  that  he  did  with 
all  other  people. 

Ciiii^t  had  eBtftblished  a  Taw,  "that  in  the  moutli  of  two  (Jt 
three  witnet^.ses,  every  word  may  be  established."  Matth,  18. 
16,  Now  Christ  had  told  Judas,  as  he  did  oiher  people,  to  repent 
and  go  and  do  hisdutv..  And  Judas  professed  thyt  he  had  repent- 
ed, and  would  do  his  duty,  like  other  professors.  And  Christ  treat- 
ed him  accordiTig  to  his  public  profession,  although  he  knew  that  Ja-- 
das  was  not  what  he  professed  to  be  j  for  he  knew  the  hearts  oi  all 
men.  And,  if  Christ  had  treated  Judas  otherwise,,  he  would 
have  violated  the  very  Iav7  whicii  he  had  established  over  Jii- 
das,  and  all  other  professors  :  Which  law  required  two  or  (hree  wit- 
nesses ;  whereas  there  was  no  leirai  witness  that  could.come  against 
Judas.  The  knowledge  Christ  had  of  the  secrets  of  the  heart  of 
Judas  was  not  the  kind  of  knowledge  the  law  required  ;  and,  if  it 
had  been,  still  Christ  would  h^ive  been  but  one  witness  :  where- 
foroj  Jijdas  could  not  have  been  broke  of  his  office,  e.ccording  to  the 
law.  And,  therefore,  vv'lien  Christ  said,  one  of  the  twelve  should 
betray  him:  and  thiiy  all  said, is  it  U  he  would  not  tcH  which  it  was. 
For,  according  to  the  law.,  it  would  have  been  like  slandering  the 
brother,  if  he  had  told  which,  without  being  prepared  with  two  or 
three  v^itnesses,  to  establish  the  fact  according  to  the  law. 

Wherelcre,  as  Christ  had  not  come  to  Judge  the  world  at  that  time, 
but  to  save  the  world  ;  he  said,  I  ji^idge  no  man  ,;  John  8.  15  ;  he 
would  not  Judge  the  secrets  of  the  heart  of  Judas.  But,  he  said, 
let  the  tares  and  wheat  boils  grow  together,  until  {h-:i-  pioper  liuie  to 
gaihcr  them  out;  Ma^.h.  13.  28 — CA)  ;  and  thi;i  will  be  a  proper 
time  when  there  are  tv/»  or  three  witnesses.  Thus,  he  set  a  paltcrri 


.    SIX 

olwUdom  aud  pcopiicny,  which   oii^ht  (o  be.  imitated  ou  all  propc: 
occasions. 

And,  as  to  Judas  casting  oat  devils,  tiiere  is  no  evidence  that 
he  ever  done  it  5  biU,  if  he  did,  that  would  not  prove  him  a  good 
)U.in.  For,  if  I  .have  all  faith,  so. that  I  could  remove  moisntaias, 
and  have  not  charity  or  love,  1  am  noth'i..;^^.  1  Cor.  13.  .2.  And 
'•  many  wili  say  to  me  in  that  day,  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not  pro- 
phesied in  thy  name  ?  and  in  thy  name  have  cast  out  devils  ?  and 
'\ii  thy  hauie  dine  many  v/onderfa!  works?  And  then  will  I  profess 
rfnto  (hem,  I  never  knew  you  :  *'  depart  from  me,  ye  that  work 
.iiiiquiry."     SLrlh.  7.  25,  23. 

I  knnw  It  h^,3  b-'en  thuught  that  th^se  pecpfe  teti  a  falsehood. 
Ij'jt,  tliey  nv'iihf  Teil,  so  hr,  the  truth,  and  yet  Christ  might,  with 
j!r<!pjic!y,  t'-'.i  iheiii  •'.;at  ho  !i.;ver  hx^pw  fiiem  as  Christians,  accord- 
ing to  P 'ulV  opnion.     See  1  Cor.  13.  1—3. 

N.  B'.if  i^  it  fioi  like  the- unpardonable  sin,  to  say  that  Judas, 
while  lu>  w  n  if  bad  ;uin,  cast  out.  devils  ? 

A.  SV'iefiK'r  Jnias  !)ea  good  or  had  man,  it  vv'oiild  be  like  the 
unpardoruibie  si  5  ro  ascribe  to  hiio,  what  ou^ht  tobe  ascribed  to  the 
Sj^ii'ir  ofO  ;.!.  It  was  the  vSpirii of  God  that  cast  out  the  devils,  no 
mi-'rr  w'h.'}  spake  th.^  v  ord-,  whether  Pe'er,  Paul,  or  Judas.  There 
is  !iu  Bible  .-vidi'r.ce  tlia'  Judas  was  ever  a  good  man  ;  but  all  the 
evidence  there,  is  against  him. 

N.  But  dues  not  thci  Bible  say  of  siome  people — "  Ye  are  fallen 
from  grace  ?"     Gal.  5.   4. 

A.  It  says — "•  Whosoever  of  you  are  justified  by  the  lawj  ye 
are  fallen  tVoin  grace."  Gal.  5.  4.  That  is,  if  you  gotoheaven,  being 
justified  by 'the  law,  you  are  cut  ofi'  or  excluded  from  the  grace  of 
the  Gospel.  But  this  would  be  falling'  from  grace  to  heaven,  not  to 
ruin. 

N.  What  do  you  think  of  the  sow  that  was  washed,  turning  to 
her  wallowing  in  the  mire.     2  Pet.  2.  22. 

A.  I  think  she  was  a  washed  hog  all  the  time  ;  but,  if  she  had 
been  washed,  by  the  washing  of  regeiieratiou  and  renev.ing  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  J  Titus  3.  5  :  so  as  to  turn  her  from  a  hoo;  into  a  sheep, 
she  would  not  have  turned  again  into  the  mire.  Christians  are  called 
sheep,  not  hoKS. 

N.  i5ut  are  they  not  sometimes  called  chickens  ?  Matthew 
23.  37". 

A.  No,  they  are  not.  "How  often  would  I  have  gathered 
thy  children  together,  as  a  hen  gaihereth  her  chickens  under  her 
\yin<r^,  biUy?  would  not."     This  is  not  calling  them  chickens. 

N.  What  do  you  think  of  the  waclean  Spirit  going  out  of  a 
n!an,  &c.  ?    Matth.  12.43-- 45. 


312 

A.  I  think  the  u iiule  case  leierred  to  that  wicked  geiierailoi?. 
aud  not  to  Clu'istiatis  .it  a!!.  ''  So  shall  i^  be  ;-,Uo  unlo  this  wicked 
gi'iicritiou."     Verse  45. 

And  I  think  every  ether  place  in  the  Bible,  that  has  been 
thought  to  prove  that  Cliristians  \nny  hjose  tlieir  diristianity  and  be 
lost,  is  equal! J  as  easy  shewn  to  mean  no  such  thing,  as  the  ones  that 
luvc  b.-en  culled  up. 

But,  0!»  t;-e  other  hand,  it  is  ;i  delightful  consideration  that  the 
jntinite  vviMdou,  g<i0i!t\Pss,  piiW-r  and  piM'iections  of  God  shall  be 
displ.iyed.  inccrtai;.lv  reneuisio;  atid  keeping  througli  faith  unto  salva- 
tion a  KTiiiiludc  5f  great. that  no  mm  can  nu^cbi-r  tiiem:  While,  other- 
wise, ill!  vvould  !iave  cenainly  garte  fo  endless  ruin  No  objection  call 
possibly  be  raised  against  it,  but  what  intght  equally  be  nsade  against 
God,  for  knowing  and  doif  g  the  \Qvy  best  in  ail  tilings  ;  for  it  is 
pan  of  his  pl.m  f:)r  doi;ig  the  very  best.  We  may,  therefore,  join 
v/irh  the  Apostle  Paul,  and  say — "  blessed  be  the  Gud  and  Fadier 
of  our  Lord  Jesui  Christ,  who  hath  bles'^ed  us  with  all  spiritual  bless- 
ings in  heavenly  places  in  Curist,  according  as  he  hath  chosen  us  in 
him  before  the  fnuridation  of  the  world,  that  we  should  be  holy  and 
without  blame  before  him  in  love;  having  pi  edestinated  us  unto  the 
adoDtion  of  children  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself,  according  to  the 
S^ood  pleasure  of  liis  will,  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace, 
therein  he  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the  beloved."     Eph,  !.  S — 6. 


r>  1  I 


A  DISSERTATION  OIV  THE  PROPHECIES. 


JX    REFERE^'CE    TO    THE 


RISE  AND  FALL  OF  THE  RKAST,  THE  CLEANSING  OF   THE   SANC 

TUARY,    THE  BEGINNING    AND   DURATION  OF    THE   AHL- 

LENNIUM,  AND  THE  LITTLE  SEASON  ; 


TOGETHEIl    WITtt 


4  CalculatioJi  shelving  the  exact  time 


ANH,    ALSO, 

Calculations'  shewing  the  precise  time  of 
THE  RISE  AND  FALL  OF  THE  BEAST, 


X'SJI    THE 


BEGINJ^mG  OF  THE  Mt'LI.EN:PfIUM,  &c. 

BIT  ABIS.  FISARSON, 

MINISTER     OF    THE    GOSPEL. 


ATHENS,  TjjNN. 
PUBLISHED  BY  THOMAS  A.  ANDERSON,  A.  M.  M.  D. 


Jowjlthas  PHUiips,  Pfiiitef. 
1853, 


315 


A  DISi^ERTATION  0¥  THE  PROPHECIES. 


"Theri  T  heard  one  Saint  speaking,  and  another  Saint  said  unto 
that  certiin  Siint  which  spake,  H  >w  lon^  shall  he  the  vision  con- 
cern! n;^  the  liily;  sicriftce,  and  the  transgression  of  desolation,  t6 
give  both  the  sanctuary  a'ld  the  host  to  be  trodden  under  foot  ?  And 
he  Slid  unto  me,  Un'^o  tsvo  thousand  and  three  hundred  days  ;  then 
shall  the  saactuary  b^  cleansed,"     Dm   8.  13.  14. 

"But  thou,  O  S)  miel,  shut  up  the  words,  and  seal  the  book,  eveli 
to' the  tine  of  t!ie  end  :  many  shall  run  to  and  fro,  and  knowledge 
shall  be  increased. 

♦»  And  I  heard  the  man  clothed  in  linen,  which  was  upon  the 
waters  of  the  river,  when  he  held  his  right  hand  and  his  left  hand 
lilt.)  heaven,  and  swire  by  hi  n  thaf  liveth  forever,  that  it  shall  be. 
for  a  time,  times,  and  an  hilf  ;  and  wii>Mi  he  shall  have  accomplish- 
ed, to  scatter  th-e  po.ver  of  liie  holy  peoo'e,  aU  tuese  things  shail  be 
finished.  And  he  said,  Got'iy  \vay,  Dtiiiel  :  for  the  words  are 
closed  up  and  sealed  till   the  time  of  the  end."     Dan.  13.   4.7.9. 

The  Prophecies,  ^eoerallj,  toreteliisig  events,  m  which  marf- 
kind  are  deeply  co  icersie.!,  such  a.s  tiie  coauug  ot  a  Saviour  mid 
the  Wijrld  ^  the  rising  and  faliuig  of  kui^doois  j  and  the  prosperity 
and  adversity  of  gDvernmeriis,  are  exceedingly  iaterestiiig.  And 
many  men,  jn'the  ditf^M-ent  M.gcs  of  the  svorld,  since  tliuse  prophe- 
cies were.uelivered,  have  lelt  ^,reat  anxiety  aad  interest  mthe  study 
ol  the:n.  But  nom  have  excifed  more  anxiety  and  attention  thari 
tiie  Prophecies,  of  Daniel  and  the  ilevelations  of  John.  BoLh  of 
th^-se  Propliets,  although  oiie  lived  a  long  time  before  the  other,  pr0- 
phe, led  about  many  of  the  aame  events,  ,  and  foretold  some  great 
aod  vyjijderful  changes,  batii  adverse  and  prosperous,  that  are  yet  to 
t.tke  p;ace  m  tne  A'jrid.  (Joannes  greater  th.in  hive  over  yet  taken 
place  10  tlie  world.  And  eacii  ot  these  Propheis  has  given  us  certain 
numjers,  and  have  informed  us  thai  tnose  great  events  are  to  take 
paceatthe  end  of  the  nutHbers.  But  the  great  difficulty  amon* 
nv-n,  has  Deea  to  ascertain  when  those  numbers  began,  and  wlien 
they  would  end.  If  cheir  Uegmniog  could  have  been  deteriiKned, 
there  would  nave  been  nogrea?.  diiHculty  in  ascertaining  their  end. 


O  10 

Wherefore,  uKiny  writers,  by  re-Oi-tlng  to  aixiein  i.iston',  have  tiicu 
to  shew  that  the  rise  of  the  Beast  of  the  Ileveiaiiim:),  was  in  ihi»  ^-ear 
606  ot  the  Christian  era  ;  aud  that  the  Beast  w.juld  iall  at  the  end 
ot  1260  years  I'rom  that  year  606. 

Itismy  ititention,  now,  to  lay  before  the  reader  a  calculation  from 
the  Prophecies  themselves  j  which  calculation  was  made  by  the  writer  iu 
the  years  1811  and  I8li3;  and  has  been  lying  by  from  that  lime  to 
this  j  t.jgeliier  with  some  historical  sketches  ui  corroborating  events, 
taat  have  taken  place  since  that  una:,  Tl\is  is  mentioned,  becaufo 
the  .writer  has  felt  great  anxiety  on  this  subject,  from  that  time  to 
this  ;  and  has  paid  cohsi^ierable  attention  to  the  evt^Us  that  iiave 
taken  place,  i'l  the  world,  from  that  timelo  tins.  ."And,  by  a'i  these 
events  and  ciicau-itauce^,  in  their  ord.^-,  as  they  have  taken  place, 
the  writer  has  felt  more  and  more  coaiiriued,  until  now,  as  to  the 
justness  and  accuracy  of  thecaiculatioijs  ;  which  induces  him  now 
to  lay  them  before  the  reader.  And,  if  events  that  are  yet  future, 
shall,  hereafter,  pr)ve  these  calculations  to  be  not  well  founded,  or 
i  ^correct,  no  man  can  feei  worse  disappointed  than  the  writer  ;  but, 
if  future  events   shall   still  cuniirm    them,   no  man  can  be    better 

In  making  the  calculatiuiis  from  the  Prophecies  of  Daniel  and 
John,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  death  of  Chnst,  is  tlie  great  turning, 
point,  or  at  the  foundation  of  the  whole  calculations.  It  is,  there- 
fore, necessary  to  give  a  calculation,  which  will  prove,  v.ith  matiiC' 
matical  exactness  and  certainty,  the  year,  month,  and  day,  of  his 
death.  As  this  calculation  is  the  foiunia'ion  of  the  wh.ole,  it  shall 
b  given  first.  And,  in  making  this  calculation,  there  are  occasions 
for  naming  the  great  Julian  period.  And,  fur  the  sake  of  those  who 
may  not  .be  v.ell  acquainted  with  the  nature  and  use  of  it,  it  may  be 
necessary  to  make  a  lew  observations  rcspecluig  it,  in  order  tliat 
they  oiay  the  more  laii.-factorily  understand  the  calculatron?. 

The  great  Julian  jicrlod  consists  of  79B0  of  our  civil  or  com- 
mon years.  And  it  has  its  beginning  709  years  beffre  the  creati!>n 
of  tiie  »i'or!d.  ^Vherefore,  the  first  yea.-  of  the  existence  of  the 
world,  is  the  rJO:h  ;,  ear  of  the  Julian  perio'l.  And  th.e'  4000t1> 
year  t)f  tiia  world,  is  tlie -JroOtii  year  of  the  Julian  i;eriod  ;  alsi>, 
the40Q4th  year  of  ihe  world,  is  ihe  4ri3th  year  of  tlie  Julian  pe- 
riod. And  ilic  Chri-Jian'era  was  joined  to  tl:e  4ri3lh  year  r.f  tl.e 
Julian  period  :  v.'hicli  js  the  4GU-5ih  year  of  the  world.  Wh-erefviie, 
tlie  firsi  ycoir  of  the  Christian  era,  was  t!ie  47  14th  year  of  the  Ju- 
lian period  :  but  it  w;?s  the  40;'5ih.  year  of  the  world. 

'*The  vulvar  rera  of  Christ's  bii-lh  was  tie\cr  setiled  till 
the  year  5  27,  when  Dionysius  Estguu?,  a  Roman  Abbot,  fixed  it  to 


31V 

ih'i  o.-i(J  ol  the  year  4713  or  the  Julian  period,  which  was  four  years 
ton  late.  For  our  Savi  jur  was  born  before  the  death  of  Mi^rod,  who 
suu'^ht  to  kill  hitn  as  soon  a?  he  lioard  of  his  birth.  And,  acco'ding 
to  the  testimony  of  ,T.)Sephus,  (B.  irt'o,  chup.  6th,  see.  4.)  there 
was  an  eclipse  of  ihe  moon  at  the  time  of  Herod's  lust  illness:  which 
e-clipse  appears,'  bv  nur  astronomical  tables,  to  have  been  in  the 
year  of  flie  Julijin  period  4710,  March  I3th,  atthree  hours  p:ist  mid- 
ni;';iit.,  ar  Jerusalem.  Now,  as  our  Saviour  mast  have  been  born 
some  mo:iths  before  Herod's  death,  since,  in  the  interval  he 
Was  carried  info  Egypt,  the  latest  time  in  which  we  can  Ox  the  true 
asre  of  his  birth  is  about  tlie  end  of  the4r09th  year  af  the  Julian  pe* 
riod."     See  Ferj^uson's  Astronomy,  pages  386 — 7. 

This  4r09thyearorthe  Julian  period,  in  theend  of  whic'i  ourSa- 
Viour  was  born,  was  tiie  400uih  year  of  the  world.  '  Duttl^.e  Christian 
era  goes  back  only  to  the  end  of  the  471 3th  year  of  the  Julian  pe- 
riod, which  is  the  4004th  year  of  the  world.  Wherefore,  it  is  very 
-Certain  that  t'ne  Christian  era  was  four  years  too  late  j  or  does  not 
go  back  to  his  real  birth,  by  four  years.  In  this  I  agree  with  Mr. 
Ferguson.  But  it  is  his  deith,  not  iiis  birth,  that  is  the  main  turn- 
ing point,  v/hich  h;is  yet  to  be  decided. 

Christ's  daach  is  said,  by  Mr.  Ferguson,  to  have  been  on  the 
year  of  the  Julian  period  4746,  wliich  was  the  33d  year  of  the  Chris!- 
tian  era.  In  wiiicli  I  cannot  agree.  But  Christ's  death  was  in  th'§ 
yearol  the  Julian  period  4742,  which  is  the  year  29  of  ihe  Chris- 
tian era. 

"There  is  a  remarkable  prophecy  delivered  to  us  in  the  nintfi' 
chapter  ol  the  book  of  Daniel,"  from  the  24th  to  the  27th  verse;, 
which  infi)r;ns  us  that  seventy  Vtreeks  were  determined  on  the  Jew- 
ish St^ite,  fruiii  the  going  forth  of  the  comraandaient  to  restore  and  tO 
build  Jerusalem,  until  the  death  of  Christ.  These  70  weeks  ar"B 
490  years.  And  Mi-.  Ferguson,  and  the  learned  Dr.  Prideaus 
think  this  commandment  was  given  to  Ezra,  by  Artaxerxes  Longi- 
manus,  in  the  seventii  year  of  that  Kind's  reign,  (Ezra  7.  11 — 26.) 
Now,  say  they,  "  both  by  tiie  undoubted  canon  of  Ptolemy,  and 
the  lamous  era  of  Nar)onas.ser,  the  begioaing  ot  ti'.e  seventii  yearQ^ 
the  reign  of  Artaxerxes  Lon-iuianus,  Kinj^of  Ptrsia,  (wno  is  called 
Ahasuerus  in  t!ie  book  of  Either,)  is  pinned  nown  to  tlie  4256th  yea^c 
of  the  Julian  period,  in  wriicb  year  he  gave  Ezra  the  above  men- 
tioned ampl*^  coramissioii  ;  froai  which,  count  490  years  to  the  deatl^ 
of  Christ,  and  it  will  carry  the  same  .q  the  4r46tli  year  of  ihe  Jwlia^ 
period." 

But  the  seventy  weeks  appear  to  lae  to  have  begun  on  the 
4^p9lh  year,  and  to  have  envied  on  the  4742-iri  yesr  «f  the<|u}^in.^e- 


$18  . 

iiixi.     Til  ?e  7'.  v.-:^cV.-  !:(  i)a!iiiil,  are  490  prapVietic  years,  equ.ii  \o 
4S3  civi    y  >i!S.     Or  rath  t  48;^  years,  are    IJ  days  itiore  than   4!)9'.ii 
peoplietic  years.     And,  if  we  ad'I  4BS  to  4259,  it  \\n\\  bring  us  dowii' 
to  the   ve:ir  nf  the  Julian  pcrio;!  4742,  which  is  the  29tii  year  of  \\\e 
Giinslian  era,  ainitlie  year  in  which  Christ  was  crucified,  as  will  be' 
proved  licreafrer. 

This  7C\\  year  (of  the  reign  of  Arfaxerses  Longimanus,  if  it  be 
truly  tlse  year  in  wliich  the  coraniaTKliiient  went  forth,  agrees  witb;.^ 
the  4259th  year  of  t!ie  Jiiiian  psriod,  as  was  said  before,  "■  the  un- 
tlouDied  car.on  of  Piolemy.  and  the  famous  era  ol"  Nabonassor,"  to 
the  contra-y  mtwithstandini.  From  the  end  of  the  year  oT  the  Ju- 
lian Tperiod  4256,  there  was  457  years  more  to  the  beginning  of-^the 
Christian  era.  And,  from  the  end  of  the  Julian  period  4259,  there 
wsve  454  years  more,  to  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  era.  Now, 
some  M'riters  say,  that  the  seventh  year  of  the  reign  of  Artaxerxes, 
was  about  t'!r;''45fth  year  before  the  beginning  of  the  Cjiristian  era  j 
and  this  air^es  with  the  '*  canon  oi  Ptolemy,  and  the  famous  era  of 
Nab')nas3;i;,"  as  above.  Aiui  some  writers  s;ty,  that  7iii.  year  of 
Anaxerjres,  agrees  with  the  455t!iyear  ;  and  some,  the  45Gth  year 
before  tlie  beginning  o[  the  Christian  era. 

But  all  tliese  dates  are  too  early  ;  for  the  conunaiidnient  must 
have  been  given  in  the  year  454  before  the  Christian  era. 

And  I  think  that  this  is  the  truth  of  the  matter.  For,  as  the  Sa- 
viour was  craci.ied  in  the  year  29  of  the  Christian  era,  add  that  29 
to  454,  and  if  will  make  43.i  years,  equal  to  490  prophetic  years,  i 
and  then  add  483  to  4259,  and  it  will  make  the  4742nd  of  the  Julian 
period,  agreeing  with  the  year  29  of  the  Christian  era,  on  wbicli 
year  Christ  was  crucified,  as  will  appear  more  clearly  by  the  calcu- 
lation, when  we  come  to  it. 

I  will  now  remark,  that  other  writers  say,  that  Darius,  the  soo 
of  Hystaspes,  was  AhasuerHs,  spoken  of  in  EstOer  ;  and  that  lie' 
was  K.ing  before  Xerxes,  the  father  of  Artaxerxes. 

Now,  1  will  shew  that  respectable  writers  diifer  widely  about 
t^ese  date«.  Mr.  liorne,  in  his  chronological  index,  says,  that  the 
71'^  year  of  the  reign  of  Artaxerxes,  in  which  he  sent  Ezra  to  Jerusa- 
i  11,  was  the  year  of  thj  world  S5oT  ;  and  tlie  467th  year  before 
t  -  Christian  era.  This  35 -i7rh  year  of  the  world,  is  the  4246th  year 
O.  the  Julian  period  ,  and  is  lO  years  earlier  than  the  date  given 
above  tiy  Mr.  Ferguson. 

Mr.  tiornt',  aUu,  says,  that  Nehemiah  obtained  leave  of  Arta- 
xerxes, to  visic  Jerusalem,  and  to  rebuild  its  gates  and  walls,  in  the 
year  of  the  world  3550,  and  ihe  45-ltbyear  oefore  the  Christian  era. 
Tki»  year  ef  tHe  world  3550^  is  tlie  4259lh  year  of  the  Julian  period* 


^19 

frosa  v.'liicii  therais  exactly  454  yeara  morp  fo  the  bp.grlnninff  of  t'le 
CiirUtiari  era.  x\n<!  this  3.55(Jfh  ve;ir  of  the  wor'd,  wliich  is  the 
4259'ii  year  of  the  Julian  periorl,  is  the  exficr  yenr  in  which  I  am 
trvin!>;io  shew  that  the  coiri'o  uidanMit  w?n\  farth  to  rebuild  Jerus.i- 
ledi;  and,  fro;n  \yhich  year,  the  70  weeks  of  Danit-l  are  t.)  be 
counted. 

This  commission  was  give  a  to  Nehemiah,  in  (he  20\h  yr.ir  of 
the  reigo  of.  Artaxerxes  ;  >e.»  N^h.  2.  1.  _;  vvhicii  was  1 .5  y-aiv^  ai!er 
that  given  to  i<>A!-a,  Sec  Ezra  T.  7.  And  as  ilii:,  xva*;  the  iist  com- 
vnandment  that  \va  '.riven  ;  and  Jerasale-n  ^vas  biuit  and  *inishc'ii 
under  this  com  nandmeor  ;  it  is  reasonable  to  c.msider . //(.'.s' as  t'le 
one  meant  in  Daniel,  and  all  oihi--r  cnm.nandnients  of  tlie  pane  kind, 
from  Cyi'us  down  to  this,  as  included  in  this,  and  all  constituting 
one  "  coiTiinandment  to  restore  and  b'lild  Jei  usalen!.*' 

But,  as  uninspired  writers  dilfer  so  widely  about  the  date,  none 
of  them  can  be  s-uisf' crori.y  relied  on  abnijt  it.  Wherefore,  it  is 
my  object  to  she\v  that  the  70  weeks  (f  Druiicl,  are  -190  projjlietic 
^'ears,  equal  to  483  civil  years  ;  and  that  tliey  ended  at  the  dea^h 
of  Christ,  wliich  was  in  the  29!h  year  of  (he  Chnsiian  era,  arid 
474i2nd  year  of  the  Julian  period  ;  and  <hat  (he  483  years  go  buck  to 
the  4259th  year  of  the  Julian  period  ;  and,  therefore,  that  year  must 
be  the  true  date  of  the  commandment  ;  all  of  which  will  appear 
more  clearly  hereafter.  The  Jews  had  civil  years  as  well  as  eccle- 
siastical years. 

Tisri  was  the  fir^t  month  of  their  civil  year  ;  and  it  began  about 
the  loth  day  cd'our  September  5  and  Ni^an  was  the  seventh  month  of 
their  civil  year,  and  agreed  with  our  March  and  April.  But  Nisan 
was  the  "first  month  of  their  ecclesiastical  year,  and  Tisri  was  the 
seventh  monrh.  Veadar  was  their  thirteenth  month,  and,  by  adding 
fhis  month,  at  least  every  third  year,  they  kept  their  year  so  regu- 
lated that  the  full  moon,  in  the  month  Nisan,  was  always  the  first 
full  moon  after  the  vernal  equinox. 

The  Jews  counted  the  rei";n  of  their  Kings  according;  to  their 
civil  year,  which  began  with  Tisri,  about  the  15th  day  of  our  Sep- 
te  nber..  But  our  civil,  or  Julian  year,  always  begins  the  fiisst  day 
of  January.  Wherefore,  the  Julian  year  contained  jj^rt  of  two  of  their 
years.  Therefore,  the  4:259th  year  of  the  Julian  period  cout<i!ned 
part  of  the  6th  and  7th,  or  else  of  7th  and  8th  years  of  the  reign  of 
Artaxerxes;  or  eUe  part  of  the  19th  and  iiUth,  or  20th  and  21nt 
years  of  his  re  gn.  I  take  the  20th  year  or  his  reigu  to  be  me  ilate 
for  the  going  forth  of  the  commandment. 

Tiiis  command  meut  was  given  to  JNehemiah,  in  the  3(;th  year  of 
ArtaKerxes,  and  in  the  month  Nisan.     See  Neh.  2. 1.     And,  ua  that 


520 

Uioatli  Nisan  Had  to  be  so  rcgulaled  as  that  its  full  moon  shouiij  he 
the  first  full  moon  after  tlie  vernal  equtiiDX,  that  month  ISiran 
might  have  agreed  so  well  witli  the  month  April,  that  the  cnuinia-.d- 
nient  might  have  been  given  on  any  day  ol  April. 

But  Christ  was  crucilied  in  the  month  Ni3i(i,anu  on  the  15th 
oi'  Aprii,  in  the  year  29  of  the  Christian  era,  as  wiil  be  seen  trum 
the  calculation.  And,  from  the  15th  day  ot  April,  ill  the  4£59.h 
ye.ir  of  the  Julian  period,  when  ihe  commandfisent  was  given,  to  the 
jotli  diiy  of  April,  in  tlieyear  G'Jof  the  Ciu-i?ti;in  era.  and  tUe  \t:ar 
ol  the  Julian  period  4r42nd,  wiien  Christ  was  crucified,  w.is  4o3  iuil 
3'earj.  But,  be'cause  483  Jidian  years,  arc  15  d3\s  more  than  490 
pro|jhetic.yeais  ;  therefore,  from  the  30!h  day  of  ApriU  so  (lie  Vv/ar 
of  the  Julian  period  4259,  to  the  15th  day  of  April,  in  tiio  yeai-  29 
of  the  Christian  era,  oi-  the  year  4742rid  uf  the  Julim  jti-rsod,  i^^  just 
490  prophetic  years  ;  or  the  70  weeks  of  Daniel.  1  will  now  aicn- 
tion  again,  that  the  4£59th  year  of  the  Julian  peri  )d,  is  the  .355(»ib 
ve^jr  of  tiie  v/orid  :  Wiierefore  the  70  weeks  of  Daniel  niust  hav  be^ 
^an  on  the  oO'h  day  of  April,  in  the  S55(Jih  ytar  (d'ihe  world  ;  and 
the  o350th  year  of  t'tic  woild,  was  45  4  years  before  the  beginnm;^  of 
tlie  Ch.ristian  era. 

Christ  vi'as  about  33  civil  years  of  age,  (and  not  37,  as  Mr. 
Fergason  says.)  For,  add  S3  years  to  4709,  the  year  of  the  Juiiiin 
period  on  which  he  was  born,  and  it  will  make  the  year  of  tluit  pe- 
viod  4743,  the  year  of  his  deuth.  These  33  civil  years  are  very 
near  33'1  prophetic  year?. 

i^Ji'.  Fergiison  thinks  that  C'liist  svas  cmcified  in  the  year  of 
tUi^'- J  ali:in  period  474G,  for  the  following  reasons:  He  says,  ''our 
Saturday  is  t'lc  Jewisl)  Sabbath  :  And  it  is  plain,  from  St.  Mark, 
chap.  15,  se,se4:2.  and  S'-  Likf,  ohap.  £3.  verse  54,  that  Christ 
was  ciucihedon  a  Friday,  .seeing  the  crucifision  was  on  th.e  day 
©ext  before  the  Jewish  Sabbath.  And,  according  to  St.  John,  cl\. 
IB,  verse  '■2y,  on  the  day  that  tiie  passover  was  to  be  eaten,  at  ieasrt 
by  many  of  the  Jews. 

" 'I'lie  Jews  reckoned  their  months  by  the  Moon,  and  their 
years  by  the  apparent  revolution  of  the  Sun  ;  and  they  ate 
the  Passover  on  the  14th  day  of  the  month  Nisan,  which  was 
the  first  mondi  of  titeii  year,  reckoning  from  the  first  appearance  of 
the  new  Moon,  winch,  at  that  tune  of  the  year,  might  be  on  the 
evening  4  the  day  next  after  the  ciiaoge,  it  toe  sky  was  clear.  So 
that  t!)eir  14th  day  of  the  njoiith  aiiwers  to  our  I5th  day  of  the 
Moon,  on  wlucii  she  is  lull.  Consequently,  the. Passover  was  al- 
NVoys    ept  on  the  day  ot  full  Moon. 

"  Auti  the  ftiil  >io»iiat  which  it  was  kept,  '.vas  that  one  whicli'^ 


321 

happeiieu  next  ufier  the  vcrr.a!  equinox.  For  jo»ep'.us  esj/ressly 
says  (Aiituj.  B.  lit.  Chap.  10.)  '  Tiie  p.issuver  was  Lept  on  the- 
14ih  day  of  the  moath  of  Nisan,  according  to  tha  Moon,  wuet]  the  Sun 
was  in  Aries.'  And  the  Sun  aiwiiys  enters  Aries  at  tlie  tiisi;iut  t;f 
the  vernal  eqijinox  ;  which,  in  our  Savioar's  tinic,  tell  on  the  ^i2nd 
day  of  March. 

•'  Tile  dispute  among  ciironologers  about  the  year  of  Christ's 
deatl),  is  limited  to  four  or  fr/c  years  iit  most.  But,  as  we  have 
shewn  that  he  was  crucilied  on  tlie  d.ty  of  a  Farca!  fa!!  Moon,  and 
on  a  Friday,  aii  that  we  liave  to  du,  in  order  to  ascei-iaia  thi-  yoai  ol 
his  death,  is  only  to  conipuie  in  which  nf  ihoi^e  years  there  was  a 
Passover  full  Moon  on  a  Friday.  For,  the  full  Moons  anticipate  ele- 
ven days  every  year,  (12  Icinjr  months -bein2;  so  much  siiort  of. a 
solar  year,)  and,  therefore,  once  in  every  thr-e  years  at  learit,  the 
Jews  were  obliged  to  set  their  Pa-isovei  a  whole  month  forwarder 
than  it  fell  by  the  course  of  the  Moon,  ua  the  year  next  before,  in  or- 
der to  keep  it  at  the  full  Moon  next  after  the  vernal  erpiuux  | 
therefore,  there  coald  not  be  two  Passovers  on  the  same  nominal  clay 
of  the  week  within  the  compass  of  a  few  neighboring  years.  A  ;J  I 
find,  by  calculation,  the  only  Passover  full  Moon  that  fell  on  a  I'ri- 
day,  fi»r  several  years  before  or  after  the  disputed  year  of  the  cruci- 
fixion, was  on  the  Sd  day  of  April,  in  the  4r46th  year  of  the  Julian 
period,  which  was  the  49Uth  year  alter  Ezra  received  the  above- 
mentioned  commission  from  Artaxerxes  Longiminus,  according  to 
Ptolemy's  canon,  and  the  year  in  which  tlie  Messiah  was  to  be  cut 
oif,  according  to  the  prophecy,  reckoning  from  the  going  forth  of 
that  commission  or  commandment  :  and  this  490th  year  was  the  33d 
year  of  our  Saviour's  age,  reckoning  from  the  vul.gar  era  of  his 
birth  ;  but  the  37th,  reckoning  froai  the  true  era  thereof."  See 
Asirou-.  389,  90. 

Now,  the  crucifixion  appears  to  tr.Q  to  have  been,  not  on  the 
year  4746,  but  on  the  year  4742  of  the  Julian  period,  wiiich  is  4 
years  earlier  j  for  the  foUowiug  reasons  : 

Thi're  couid  be  no  diiterence,  with  tlie  Jews,  between  theii- 
15(h  day  of  ihe  month,  and  15th  day  of  the  Moon;  because  tiie}' 
Galcui.iM'd  ilieir  months  by  the  Moon,  as  Mr.  F.  allows.  There- 
foi'e,  tiiou-  15ih  day  of  the  mouth,  and  our  15tii  day  of  the  Moon, 
Were  the  sanie  thing;  on. which  day  the  Moon  is  always  full,  as  Mr. 
F.  s:iys.  \Vh8ref(jre,  the  Moon  v/as  fulJ  on  their  loth  day  ;  and 
not  the  I4th,  asMr.  F.  said.  Tiieir  pissover,  tlierefoi-e,  was  kept 
on  thereat  I4t.h  day  td'tiie  month,  according  to  their  law,  which  >day 
was  theda)  beiore  fuls  moon  ;  and  not  tiie  I5th  day,  which  aas  the 
day  oi  full  mooj.     Auil  it  would  have  l>een  just  as  easy  for  them  to 


3-22 

hiiv>'  kept  it  on  a  Cv-rlain  right  daj.  as  on  a  certain  wronj;  day.  But 
tlie  loiii  (!.;,-,  or  any  other  but  the  real  14:1)  d  ly,  would  have  been 
wro  uT:  d'.id  contrary  to  their  eccle>i:istica!  law.  "SVherelbre,  they 
^vei\:  exceedingly. particular  about  it.  And,  as  it  was  just  as  easy 
for  riiem  to  know  which  was  the  day  before  full  moon,  as  to  know 
whu:ii  wj^>  the  day  of  full  m-^on,  we  may  feel  conlident  that  tiiey  did 
know  and  keep  their  pa^sover  on  the  true  14th  day,  according  to 
their  law. 

In  ancient  times,  they  were  so  particular  as  to  keep  men  ap- 
poioied  to  vv^tch  on  the  tops  of  the  mountains  for  the  first  appear- 
ance t>l  the  moon,  afier  the  clja;i.;<^j  :in\,  ai  so)n  as  they  saw  it, 
thf'v  informed  ihe  S.inhedrim.  B  t  their  montlis  consisted  of  3® 
aod  30  days  alternately  ;  and.  as  they  ksvr-w  tiiey  had  no  month 
Ioniser  than  30  days,  they  were  sure  that  their  month  would  begin 
by  the  time  30  days  were  our;  even  if  they  could  not  have  seen  the 
moon  for  a  month.  Mr.  Home,  and  .ill  otlxeis  that  1  have  seen  on 
this  subject,  agree  with  what  has  now  been  said. 

But,  aflertlie  Jews  returned  from  tlie  Babj-ionivh  captivity jand 
parricularly  at  the  time  of  the  crucifixion  of  Christ,  'hey  were  not  so 
ignorantas  lo  be  at  a  loss  to  know  the  ctrtain  14th  day  of  their 
month,  or  the  day  before  full  moon,  as  well  as  t!ie  day  of  full 
moon. 

Surely  such  n^.en  as  Jolm  the  Baptist,  Gamaliel,  and  Saul  of 
Tarsus,  knew  wiien  tlie   moon  ciianged. 

Tnere  is  no  evidence  iha!  tlie  Jews  kept  their  passovcr  on  the 
day. of  full  moon,  which  vva-^  die  rtal  lotn  day  of  th^ir  month,  and 
noi  the  I4tii,.whicli  th.-ir  law  rC([uireJ.  Mr.  Ferguson  only  sup- 
posed it  ;  .ind.l  liave  ueen  the  more  particular  on  this  point,  because 
it  is  the  fouiulation  of  bus  error. 

I  do  not  dispute  that  the  iiiooa  vvas  full  on  tiie  day  he  s-peaks 
of,  or  that  it  was  ii  passover  full  moon  ;  but  i  say  ii  was  t.ie  i  jii\  tay 
ofliie  Jewish  aiontii  ISisan,  uud  not  tiie  I4ih,  and  ic  i-.as  (ou.  jears 
alter  too  crucis.xum  of  Clii  ssi. 

But  the  14ui  day  of  ine  inu.Uh  Ni«an,  v\hich  was  the  ciav  before 
th-^  full  m'(p;i,  was  tlie  first  day  of  tiie  feast  i  tiie  pas.'Over,  which 
was  io  last  seven  day^.  Sfec  Exodus  1-2.  lb.  L  Miicos  23- 
5,  t),  7.  Niimutrs  i.*.  IG — !«.  »•  hi  tiie  loui ti-ei-tii  tij_\  of 
tlie  iiist  uiouui  ai  even  is  in-  jLord's  passover.  Am),  oo  live 
fiJiA^'iit:!  lia^  of  liie  same  oio.itli  is  tiie  fti.ist  of  unkavencd  l)read 
uuio  the  iiorU  .;  stvemJayis  ye  .nust  eat  uuhMveyed  bread,  in  ttie 
nrsi  (iaj- ye  siull  have  an  auly  cuiiVocation  ;  ye  shilii  do  no  sMvtie 
\yoi  k  tneiCci."  .si.-aiivvts  lue  iiist  mnoiu  ui.  tocir  ccclesiaslital 
year  and  Alar  was  the  i'ito.     v^ee  K-tuer  3.  7. 


323 

Ti^e  fensf-  w?iS  ta  h.i:z'n  in  the  evening  of  the  14th  day.  The 
Jews  )g:a  ilieir  days  at  ■^nn^et,  which  is  evident  from  a  num- 
ber of  piis-^ages  of  scripture.      Sec  Jolui  5.   16. 

VV!ien  the  Ri^deetner  he-ded  the  sick  on  the  Subbath  Day, 
the  Jews  -ough^  to  slay  him  for  doing;  such  work  on  the  Sabbath 
Bat,  when  (he  Sun  was  set,  the  J  ws  brought  their  sick  to  him, 
tliat  he  mia;ht  hea!  them,  because  th.oirvSabbath  was  ended  at  sunset. 
S':-^  L'lke  4.  31— 40.  Murk  l,21~S'-3.  Which  proves  that  their 
days  be^an  mv:\  ended  atsiinsv't,  S:e  Scott's  Com.  and  Doddridge, 
Theiefore.  the  evenin.2;  was  the  lir-t  part  of  tficir  day,  according  to 
what  is  said  of  the  evening  and  inoruing,  in  the  first  chapter  of  Gen- 
esis. 

And  the  feast  b^f^an  in  the  evening;,  when  the  day  began  at  sun- 
set. And  (ui  the  firs'  day  they  were  to  have  an  "holy  convocation^ 
and  to  do  nos'rvile  work  th'rein."  Therefore,  they  could  not  have 
tr;ed,  condemn^'d,  and  crucified  the  Saviour,  on  the  first  day  of  their 
least. 

But  when  their  14th  day  of  the  -nonth,  which  was  the  first  daJ 
gf  the  feast,  happened  io  be  tlieir  S.i'.)bath  (hiy,  thoy  made  the  day 
before  the  Sabbath,  or  loth  (iay  of  the  nionth,  their  preparation  dayj 
iji  order  that  they  might  not  have  to  kill  and  prepare  t^he  passover 
on  their  Sabbath  day.  See  Mark  15.  42.  «•' And  now,  when  even 
was  come,  (because  ir  was  the  preparation,  that  is,  the  day  before 
tjie  Sabbath.")  See,  aiso,  Luke  23.  54.  '  '*  And  that  day  was  the 
preparation*,  and  the  Sabbath  drew  on."  On  this  preparation  da", 
they  crucified  the  Saviour  Christ.  Mark  14.  1,  2,  says  ;  "  After 
two  days  was  (he  feast  of  the  passover,  and  of  unleavened  bread  : 
and  the  Chief  Priests  and  Scribes  sought  how  they  might  take  !um 
by  craft  ancl  put  him  to  death.  But  they  said,  not  on  the  feast  day, 
lest  there  be  an  uproar  of  the  peojde."  See,  also,  M  itth.  26.  1 — 5. 
This  appears  to  have  been  on  the  day  before  the  preparation  day, 
and,  consequently,  was  the  second  day  before  the  proper  feast-day  5 
for  the  preparation  day  was  one  day  befu-e  the  proper  feast-day  j 
and ,  of  course,  the  day  before  that,  would  b"  the  second  day  be- 
Ibre  the  teast.  Yet  they  did  not  accomplish  their  purpose  until  (m  the 
fireparation  day,  which  was  only  one  day  before  the  feast.  But,  be- 
fore they  took  him,  he  ate  the  passover  with  his  Disciples,  and  in- 
stituted the  Sacrament  of  the  Supper,  on  the  evening,  or  fiisi  p/«rt 
oftbe  day,  which  was  tiie  preparation  day,  and  wKich  began  at 
sunset. 

Matth.  26.  6,  7,  and  Mark  14.  3,  say—"  And  being  in  Br^tha- 
ny,  or  when  he  wa«  in  Bethany,  in  the  house  ot  Simon,  he  was 
^jittiated  vyith  eiIltmenl^"    Jahn  says  this  was  six  days  belore  the 


324 

passover.  See  12.  1.  Ami  Use  next  day,  (which  was  five  days  be 
fore  the  passover,)  Jesus  carae  up  to  Jeruf^aieni,  riding  on  ?an  ass. 
Seeverses  12  — 14.  jMatth.  2).  1  —  13.  And  Luke  says,  that,  in 
the  day-time  he  was  teaching  in  the  feraple  :  and  at  night  he  went 
out,  and  abode  in  t!ie  mount,  that  is  called  the  Mount  of  Olives.  See 
Luke  21.  Sr.  ■  Luke  22.  7,  says — '^  then  came  the  day  of  unlea- 
vened bread,  when  the  passover  must  be  killed.''  Arid  this  is  the 
same  thing  meant  in  Mattii.2().  17,  and  Mark  14.12.  And  the 
Disciples  were  sent  time  enough  to  prepare,  and  nave  ready  the  pa^^s- 
over  for  supper  ;  and  when  the  hour  was  come,  he  sat  doivn.  ond 
the  twelve  Apnsiles  with  him.  Luke  22.  14  M.iUh.  26.  20. 
Mark  14-  17.  This  evening,  when  the  Redeemer  ate  the  passovcr 
with  his  disciples,  and  instituted  the  Sacrament,  was  the  beginning 
of  the  preparation  day,  sp(>ken  of  in  Mark  15.  42.  and  Liike  23.  54, 
and  John  19.   42,  on   which  preparation  day.  Christ  was  crucified. 

For,  on  tlmt  same  niglit,  after  he  had  eaten  the  pa«;sover,  ai^d 
instituted  the  Sacrament  of  the  Supper,  he  was  betrayed  and  taken,: 
and  guarded  until  morning  ;  and,  early  in  tlie  morning,  he  was  ta- 
ken before  Pilate  ;  and  afterwards  lie  was  put  to  death  ;  all  on  the 
same  day,  which  beganat  sunset  and  ended  at- sunset,  an<!  was  the 
day  before  the  first  real  feast  day  came  on.  So  that  the  Jews  did  ac- 
complish their  purpose,  in  putting  him  to  death,  before  the  real 
feast  day  came  on  :  for  that  did  not  come  on  until  the  sun  sat,  that 
evening  after  he  was  put  to  death.  And,  as  th.ey  were  commanded 
to  do  no  servile  work  on  their  feast  day  ;  they- pretended  ,to  obst-rve 
this  rule  so  strictly,  that,  although  he  was  tried  by  Pilate  early  in  the 
day  before  their  real  feast  day  came  on,  the  Jews  would  not  go  into 
the  Judgment  Hall,  lest  they  might  be  defiled,  and  thereby  prevented 
from  eating  the  passnver,  when  it  should  come  on  at  sunset.  See 
John  18.  28.    All  that  has  now  been  said,  agrees  with  John  13.   1,  2, 

This  preparation  day,  was  not  a  preparation  for  the  Sabbath 
only,  but,  also,  a  preparation  for  the  passover  before  the  Sdbbath, 
which  passover  began  on  their  Sabbath.  Fur,  Mark  15.  42,  and 
Luke  23.  54,  say,  it  was  a  preparation  before  the  Sabbath  ;  and 
John  19.  14,  expressly  says — It  was  a  preparation  of  the  pissover. 
I  understand,  therefore,  that  thf  first  day  of  the  passo*«r  was  their 
Sabbath  ;  and,  because  the  passover  began  on  the  Sabbath,  they 
made  the  dav  before  tlie  Sabr>aTh,  the  day  of  preparation  for  the 
passover.  And  this  agrees  with  .lohn  l'.>.  31,  which  Wys — "The 
Jews,  therefore,  because  it  was  the  preparation,  that  the  bodieg 
should  not  remain  upon  the  cross  on  the  S»bbatl»  Hay,  for  thai  Sab- 
bath Day  was  an  high  day,  &c.  For  rea^ofiS  given  f(Miner!y,  the 
passover  seldom  began  on  a  Sabbath  :  therefore,  this  Sabbath  was  a» 


325' 

*' hi^ii  day,"  even  an  uncommon  Sabbath  ;  and  because  the  Savioui 
w<i!i  crncilied  on  tlie  d^y  uf  preparation  tor  the  p<issuver,  and  day  be- 
fore Mie  8.ii)baih,  tiiey  Inid  Jpsiis  in  a  s-epnlchre  that  was  nigh  at 
h:!nd,  ill  order  that  the  body  niig'nt  not  temain  on  the  cioss  on  the 
S:ib.):iih  that  was  roniing, because  it  was  a  liigher  day  than  common 
Sibbsths.  See  John  19.  31.4!.  4±  But,  notwithstanding  the  un- 
coMvnon  greatness,  the  Chief  Priests  and  Pliarisees,  on  this  same 
SabbaMi  Dny,  toid;  great  care  to  make  the  sepulchre  sure,  sealing 
th!^  stone,  and  set^.:!g•  a  watch.  See  M.itih.  27.  62—67.  Well 
might  thp  T?eileemer  call  th<Mn  hypiu-i  iti'^. 

All  ihe^e  t ''jig-;  being  i  oiisnitred,  it  appears  to  me  certain,  that 
(Sl'.rist  was  crucified  on  a  Friday,  which  was  the  13th  day  of  the 
month  Ni'san,  and  the  il.iy  ot  pivpavation  for  the  passover  j  the  next 
day  beins:  Sarurdny,  which  wari  tlie  Jeviish  Sabbath,  and  the  14th 
day  ot  the  riionvii  Niiran,  whitJi  was  the  firsrt  day  of  the  passover; 
the  next  day  being  Sunday,  th  •  Christian  Sabbath,  the  1 5th  day  of 
the  month  Nisan,  assd  day  oi  t  ill  moon,  which  was  the  first  full 
moiui  after  the  vcrnul  eqainos,  una  wa^,  therefore,  a  passover  full 
moon. 

Now,  it  orJy  remiiins  toenquire  on  which  of  those  yearsa  pass- 
over  f.jll  moon  {'ell  on  a  Sunday.  And  I  find,  by  calculation,  that 
the  only  j)'iss(('  er  Till  moon  that  fell  on  a  Sunday, or  that  could  fall  on  a 
Sunday,  (for  the  same  rearon-?  that  Mr.  Ferguson  gives  for  one  not 
falling  a  second  time  on  a  Frida^'o)  for  several  years  before  or  after 
the  disputed  year  uf  the  crucifixion,  was  on  the  ifth  day  of  April, 
in  the  29th  year  of  the  vul<jar  era,  and  4742nd  year  ot  the  Julian  pe- 
riod ;  which  was  the  3od  civil  year  of  Christ's  age,  reckoning  from 
the  true  era  of  his  birth.  Luke  must  be  understood  strictly,  when 
he  says — Christ  w'a<<  about  50  y^ars  of  age  when  he  was  baptized. 
See  Luke  3.  23.  For,  after  he  was  baptized,  he  preiched  about  3^- 
years  ;  and,  if  what  has  b(»en  said  above,  about  his  birth,  be  duly 
considered,  it  will  appear  that  he  was  not  much  over  33  civil  years 
ol  age  ;  and  33  civil  years  are  nearly  SSj  prophetic  years. 

The  13th  day  of  the  Jewish  month  Nisan,  on  which  day  Christ 
\yas  crucified,  was  the  loth  day  of  our  month  April  j  and  the  I5ih 
day  of  their  month  Nisan,  was  the  day  of  fu'l  moon,  and  it  was  the 
17th  day  of  our  month  April,  on  which  tite  moon  was  full. 

Wherefi)re,  the  moon  wa^*  so  near  th^  full  on  the  day  Chrst 
was  cruc  ified,  tliat  it  could  not  possibly  eclipse  the  Sun  on  that  day; 
for  the  Sun  can  be  ec'ipsed  only  in  the  time  of  new  Moon.  Tl-ere- 
fore,  the  darkness,  which  was  from  the  6th  to  the  9th  hour,  on  fhe 
day  of  the  rrucitixion,  was  alto»ethtr  ^upern«iural,  because  ihe  Sum 
ct»tild  not  have  been  eclipsed,  at  that  time,  in  a  natural  way, 
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Tills  irtliflayof  Vpril,  \..  i).  '29,  was  Sabbath,  or  our  Sun- 
(iav,  and  tlie  diiv  of  Chr'n^t's  rttsurrection  ;  and  his  death  was  on  the 
Fri  laybe.rore,  which  wa^  tiie  15th  day  of  .\pril.  Clirist's  death  and 
resutrectlon  took  place  at  Jeraaalern;  wherefore,  the  calculation  was 
made  for  that  place. 

Tliis  irth  div  of  \nril,  was  the  15th  day  of  the  Jewish  month 
Ni^;iTi,  w'lich  u-as  thediyof  full  uxion  ;  and  this  was  the  first  full 
raoi)n  afte  thevern-tl  or  Siu-iajy  eqiiinox,  in  that  year.  For,  the  pre- 
ce  iins;  fijll  moon  had  fallen  on  the  19th  day  of  March,  which  vvas 
3  divs  hiifore  the  v-»rri.i!  equinox  |  the  eq'iiujx  being,  at  that  time, 
on  the  -2-2il  day  of  Misrch. 

Fluving  no'-v  iscertiiniid,  witli  a  s;rftat  dea;ree  of  certainty,  that 
the  death  of  Ci'.rist  wns  on  thp  I5rh  day  of  April,  in  the  year  29  of 
the  Christian  era  5  and  that  tie  70  weeks  of  Daniel  ended  at  bis 
deith  ,•  I  wii!  next  proceed  to  shew  that  the  70  weeks,  and  2300 
dajs  ot  Daniel,  begin  toi^ether,  490  vears  before  the  death  of  Christ. 

Daniel  B.  14,  lias  ii  vision  of  2S00  days,  or  years.  And.  in 
Daniel  9.  3-1.  iie  'las  a  vision  of  70  weeks,  or  490  davs.  or  vears  ,: 
an  ''  !  •V'!'  '>.T"i''rr-  •  .-'1 -.-.v  +''\;]t  -i''  "(ip'ip  nq  nh^.-a  h'p  nro-'vhetic  years, 
each  year  having  360  days.  But,  for  the  present,  I  wish  to  shew 
that  the  70  *veeks   atni  ihe  'l-lh)  iiys  bi';^iu    o;j;et  ■.  r. 

An-l.  for  ihis  purpose,  t  would  observe,  that  Daniel;  tjie  8tli 
ohapter  and  9th  ver-^e,  sp^-.iks  of  the  lUtie  horn  of  the  hegoat,  which 
waxed  excee  ling  great,  towards  the  South,  and  tovyard  the  Enst,  »nd 
toward  the  pleasant  land.  lOth  verse.  And  it  waxed  great,  even 
til  tiie  h  )St  oI'Metven.  hr  ;!;i;iinst  the  irniies  of  t!ie  church  ;)  and  it 
cast  down  sonieof  tiv  ^o?t  ind  of  the  stars  to  the  ground,  (or  of 
the  army  of  the  clviiC'i  vu]  ifs  rasnister-i,)  and  stamped  upon  them. 
Versp  n.  Ye.i,  he  oirroihed  hi  nself  even  to  the  Prince  of  the 
host,  and  by  him  the  diiiy  sacrifice  was  taken  away,  (or  he  magni- 
fied hiiosel'' a^riiiist  the  n'-ince  of  the  anny,  and  fro  n  him  the  -flail}'' 
sacrifice  wis  tikei  ri'Viy.)  a  id  the  pl.iCi  ot  his  vSanctuary  was  cist 
dovvo.  Vf.fse  12.  Villi  host  .vas  given  him  ai^ainst  the  daily 
■sa;  ri!i.-e  by  '.■■•\-c.n  .■.'' tn  •,>>;  e-^si  )ii,  (or  the  army  was  given  over  for 
the  «rans';^ress'on  ".:/;ai.i:st  t'le  d.iily  s.iCi-iiice,)  and  it  cast  down  the 
truth  to  fhe  g;r<);jo(K  .-.n  1  it  p'-acti^ed  and  prospered.  13th  verse. 
Then  I  he;ird  (toe  Saint  spe  )!:<;irii.  ujd  another  Saint  said  unto 
iiiat  certain  Saint  which  spake,  How  long  shall  be  the  vision 
concerning  the  daily  s;icri(ice  and  the  transgression  of  desola- 
tion, to  ^ive  b  M.h  I'le  Smctau-y  a  id  the  host  to  be  trodden  un- 
der foot  ?  (or,  Toen  I  heard  one  Saint  speakin<j,  aiid  anotl-er 
Saint  Slid  nnto  iliat  wonderful  nuniberer,  How  long  shall 
ba  the  vision  concerning  tlic  transgression,  making  desolate  the  dai- 


32ii 

iy  sacriiice,  and  giving  both  tiie  Sancicary  und  liie  Aiinj  i.»  be 
troiitleii  uii'itr  f'o(»t  ?)  14rh  ver^e.  And  he  said  unto  inp,  Unto  two 
thousand  and  ih.ee  hundred  days;  then  shall  the  Saiaiuary  be 
cleansed.  Then  Daniel  sought  tor  the  meanitig  of  the  vision,  and 
Was  intoriued  that  it  was  t.tr  tnauy  days. 

But  IJaniel,  in  his  9tii  chapter,  says — In  the  lirst  year  of  Da- 
rius. th<*  son  of  AhaMierus,  ''I  Dafiiel  uhder.>tuod,  by  books,  the 
nu'iiber  of  the  yejr-:,  wheroof  the  word  of  the  Ltjrd  canie  tu  Jere- 
miah fhe  Prophet,  that  he  would  accomj)iL->h  seventy  years  in  the 
desolations  ot  Jerusalem." 

INn.v,  tho.se  seveoiy  years  were  the  term  of  the  captivity  of  the 
kingdom  of  Judali,  by  Nebuchadnexxtr  ;  but  tiu-  kingdom  0}  Israel 
had  been  taken  captive  some  more  thaii  one  hundred  and  thirty 
years  before  that,  by  Shaiinanezer,  King  of  Assyria,  and  scattered 
abroad,  and  have  never  yet  returned  to  their  oun  land. 

But  Daniel  had  some  hope  that  all  would  be  ga"htred  home  at 
the  end  of  lie  seventy  years.  Wheiefore,  Daniel  set  his  face  to 
pray  for  ttie  return  of  both  Judah  and  Israel,  and  for  the  up-building 
of  Jerusalem.  For  ail  were  included  in  his  vision  of  23U0  days,  or 
years.  Because  the  desolations  cou'd  not  be  ended  and  the  Sanctua- 
ry cleansed,  until  all  are  brought  home  to  their  own  land.  And  this 
Js  confirmed  by  a  number  of  Froph.ecies  that  shall  be  noticed  here- 
after. But  the  vision  of  iioOO  days,  or  years,  was  truly  for  many 
days  ;  and  were  not  to  end  with  the  seventy  years  of  Jeremiah  ;  but 
were  rather  to  begin  not  far  from  the  end  ol  that  seventy  years. 
And,  although  the  vision  was  to  be  sealed  up  until  the  time  of  the 
end  j  yei  Gabriel,  whom  Daniel  had  seen  in  the  vision  at  the  begin- 
ning, came  to  give  Dxiuiel  skill  and  understanding  of  the  vision,  !)y 
that  kind  of  an  explanation  that  would  answer  for  unsealing  the  vision, 
at  tiie  time  of  the  end  of  it.  And  he  told  Duniel  to  understand  the 
matter,  and  consider  the  vision.  Seventy  weeks  are  delormined 
upon  thy  people  and  upon  thy  holy  city  ;  that  is,  seve;:!y  weeks  of 
the  vision  are  determined  upon  thy  jieople  and  u|)t\n  ihy  Holy  City. 
For  Gabriel  came  to  give  Daniel  skill  and  undcrbtitiiih.g  about  tlie 
vision,  and  this  was  Daniel's  concern,  and  ubiiut  which  i.c  had  been 
praying  ;  and  we  have  no  right  to  hUj>pose  that  the  .-eventy  wftks 
are  soiiieihiiig  lOrt-ign  to  the  sisionaiiil  foreign  to  tie  pnint  abwut 
which  Daniel  had  ijt'oii  prayiiig.  But,  if  the  seven!y  weeks  ;:re  a 
part  of  the  Virion  ol  -23t)()  days,  (»i-years,  then  they  fitted  the  Cdse  ex- 
actly about  v.'rdcii  Dardel  was  pr.iying,  aud  fur  which  Gabiiei  profts?- 
ed  to  come,  thtat  wasiu  iniorm  l)a;j!el  about  tiie  vision.  B;!t,  \i  we 
take  theTO  vvetks  a^'u  pait  01  tiie  visioii,  then  Gabriel  tlid  ready  give 
Daniel  skill  and  understandnvi;  about    it  :  lor    he  iiiformed   Daniel' 


32i9 

that  the  seventy  years  of  Jeremiah,  were  entirely  a  difterent  thing  j 
and  that  the  '2300  years  were  to  begin  490  years  before  ihe  deatb 
of  Clirist,  and  then  tliere  were  to  be  dreadful  troubles,  and  that  his 
people;  were  not  to  be  gathered  home  for  a  long  time.  And,  als'»,  he 
gave  Daniel  the  key  for  unlocking  the  vision,  at  the  time  of  the 
end.  For,  if  the  70  weeks  are  a  part  of  the  2300,  and  an  expla> 
nation  of  the  vision,  tliaa  they  must  begin  together,  490  years 
before  the  death  of  Christ.  But,  if  the  70  w^eks  do  not  begin  to- 
gether with  the  HSOO,  then  the  70  weeks  cannot  be  an  explanation 
of  that  vision  of  -I.jOO  ;  for  they  have  no  perceivable  reference 
to  the  2300,  exc«;pt  they  shew  that  the  2300  begin  with  the  70  weeks, 
490  years  before  tlie  detitii  of  Christ.  But  we  have  before  shewed 
that  the  ro  weeks  are  a  part  of  the  explanation  of  the  vision  of  2300 
days,  or  years  ;  it  is,  therefore,  certain,  that  the  70  weeks,  and  the 
2300  days  or  years,  begin  together;  because  the  70  weeks  have  no 
reference  to  the  vision  of  2300  years,  in  any  other  perceivable  way. 

Diiniel  9th  23.  21,  says — ''Therefore,  understand  the  matter 
and  consider  ihe  vi-ion.  Seventy  weeks  are  determined  upon  thy 
people  and  upon  thv  H;.ly  City,"  &c.  That  is.  70  weeks,  or  490 
years  of  :the  vision  of  2300 days,  or  years,  are  determined  upon  thy 
people,  as  the  length  of  the  Jewish  dispensation,  from  the  going 
forth  of  the  commandment  to  rebuild  Jerusalem  unto  the  death  of 
Christ. 

He  then  goes  on  to  tell  what  should  be  done  in  the  run  of  that 
time.  That,  after  seven  weeks,  the  street  shall  be  built  again,  and 
the  wall,  even  in  troublous  times.  And,  after  62  weeks  more,  Mes- 
siah shall  appear,  aiul  confirai  the  Covenant  with  many  for  one 
week,  and,  in  the  end  of  rhis  one  weak,  he  shall  be  cut  off.  Butj 
for  half  of  this  one  week,  he  shall  cause  the  sacrifice  and  oblatioa 
to  cease,  by  being  cut  off",  or  offering  himself  up.  at  the  end  of  this 
last  half  of  the  vveek,  a  sacrifice,  as  being  the  last  to  be  offered  under 
the  Jewish  dispensation,  and  which  was  to  end  tne  Jewish  dispensa* 
tion.     ScH   Dial.  9.  23 — 27. 

Dr.  Pruie.iux  sa.)'s — The  word,  in  the  27th  verse,  translated 
midst,  should  have  been  translated  half,  "for  ,  ^if  of  the  week," 
Qr,  "  in  the  cutting  off  of  rhe  week."  It  was  at  the  end  of  this 
last  liaif  of  the  week,  tliat  Ctiris*^  was  'Cut  off;  because  he  was  to 
confirm  (lie  Covenant  with  many,  for  the  whole  of  this  one  week  ; 
th.-refore,  he  could  not  be  cut  nff  until  the  end  of  the  last  half  of 
the  week.  Tltaswe  see  that  G.fbrifl  explained  the  vision  of  2300 
days,  '-»r  years,  by  giving  the  key  to  the  date  of  the  vision  ;  and,  at 
the  same  time,  answered  Daniel's  prayer,  with  regard  to  his  peoplf, 

n^2 


530 


iirinl.    7.    25.' 
Danl.    12.    7. 

R<n'el.  12.  14.     Speak  of  fhree  and  a  half  times,  or  year?,  \viiiclt 
Do.     12.    6,  S.     i?  42   iDonfhs,    or  1260   c!ay«,    or  prophetic 
Do.     II.    3,         vears,  which  end  with  the  2300. 
Do.      11.    2, 
Do.      13.    5,^ 
Mnrp  will  l)e  said  about  the«e  numbers  in  another  place. 
I  will  now  shew  th.Ttthe  1 2G0  days,  or  prophetic  years  of  Bfic- 
lel  and  John,  end  with  the  2300.     Daniel   8.  14,  says — When  the 
2300  are  out,  '•  ihen  sh.\\\  the  Sanctuary  be  cleansed."     But  Danidl 
7*  25 — 27,  says—*'  And  they  shall  be  given  into  his  hand,  until  a 
time,  times,  and  thedividing;  of  time."     This  is  1260  days,  or  pro- 
phetic years.      When  these  are  out,  then  the  kingdom  shall  be  given 
to  the  Saint:?.     Cleansing  the  Saictuary,  and  giving  the  kingdom  to 
the  Saints,  imply  the  same  things,  that  are  to  be  done  at  the  same 
time,  which  is  at  the  end  of  the  2300  year?.     The  1260  years,  are 
a  part  of  t!ie 2300  years,  and  must  end  with  them;  because,  in  all  pla- 
G€S  where  the  end  of  these  numbers  is  spoken  of  in  the  Bible,  we 
find  something  intimated,   or  else  said   plainly,  about  cleansing   the 
Sanctuary,  and  making  preparation  for  the  Millennium;     But  there 
is  no  inti'oation  of  cle:m>!ing  the  Sanctuary,  before  both  these  num- 
bers are  end<!d  ;  they   must,  theretoro,   end   together  :  because  the 
Sanie  things  are  said  to  take  place  at  the  end  of  each  of  these  num- 
bers. 

When  these  numbers  are  out,  then  the  Beast  was  to  fall  *  but 
ihe  Beast  was  to  practise  and  ])r()sper,  until  these  numbers  are  out  : 
•*  Then  ht'r  plagues  shall  cotne  in  one  day.  death,  and  mourning,  and 
fomine,  and  she  shiU  be  utterly  burned  with  fire."— See  Rev.  18.  8". 
Now.  the  70  %veeks,  or  490  years,  and  the  2300  years,  begin  to- 
gether ;  and  the  70  weeks  ^nd  at  the  death  of  Christ.     Therefore, 
teke  the  70  weeks,  or  490   years  from   the  2300  years,    and   IBlQ 
years  will  be  left,  from  tiie  death  of  Ciirist  to  the  end  of  the  2300 
years.      And,  whfj::«ap  'he  1260  years  and  2300  years  end  together  $ 
it  follows  that.^^^!9(>0  \ears,  .ire  a  part  of  the  18H;  years  that  re- 
main Vom  Christ's  j!e<ih.     Ti'erefore.  take  1260,  from    1810.  and 
550  s  eut  ndl  be  left,  from  Christ's  death  to  the  rise  of  the  Boast, 
or  to  the  beginning  of  the  1260  yeavs.      And,  when  the  126u  year^ 
are  out,  tlien  the  Beast  falls  in  one  ypar  tnore.     Rev.  18.  8^' 
CALCULATION. 
Thus — From     2300     years 
Take       490     years 


Rem. 


I8l»     years  from  the  death  of  Christ  ♦»  the 
end  of  roga.  of  tiic  iieatjt. 


3S4 

UvQ\\\     1810     years 
'Vak.^     1360     veais 


"Reui.  550     years   from  tac  deitli  of  Christ  to  the 

rise  of  tlie  Beast. 


So  far,  this  ralcuiation  appenrs  to  me  to  be  very  plain  and  easy 
10  be  understood.  And  it  s'^ews  that  the  iJeast's  reign  of  1260 
years,  beiari  550  years  after  the  detth  of  Christ,  and  ended  1810 
ye^iir!!  after  his  deit!>  ;  and  it  shews  that  the  2300  years  of  Oaaiel, 
end  a^-  t'le  same  tirne. 

Buf  these  are  prophetic  years,    each   year  having    360    days., 
which  is  5  di.ys  find  6  hours -shorter  th;7,n   our    coainon   civil  year, 
v.-'-ifh  has  .S65  d,is'*an.d  6  h;"*urs.      Wic/refore,  ihe  difference   must 
be  taken,  \n  orier  to  ih'v.v  on  which  year  of  the  Christian  era  the 
18 10  prupb.etic  years  ^ill  be  out. 

CALCUL.4.TI0N. 

-Multiply     1810     years  Mul.     1819     pro.  years 

by  365—6  days ia  civil  jvs.  by         360     days. 

9030                                                         108609 
10860                                                           5430 
5430  


660650 
Add  f  45-2—12    houre 


651600     days. 


From        661102—12  days  in  1810  civil  years, 

Take        651600  days  in  1810  prophetic  year*. 

Rpm.ds.     9502—12  hours. 

Mul.  by  4  quarters  of  a  diiy. 


Div.  1461)  38010  (quarters — 26  civil  years  and  6  days. 
2922 


8790 
8766 


(Quarter  4)       24  (6  d.jys. 


Thus,  in  1810  ypars,  thpre  is  2fi  civ?'  v^ars  aod  6  fliys  differ- 
eiiqebetween  ciyil  and  prophetic  years.    And  Christ's  death  was ea 


332 


the  15th  day  of  April,  in  the  year  29  :  equal  to  i28  years  3  month 
and  15  days.     Therefore — 

Y.      M.     Days 

To     1810      0         0 

Add      i28      3       15     Tinieof  Christian  era  before  death  of  Christ 


Total     1838      3        15 

Take         26      0         6      The  difference  betw.  civii  and  proph.  years 

Rem-     1812     3         9     Civil  years. 


This  1812  vears  3  months  and  9  days,  is  the  Dt'.J  day  of  April, 
1813,  Old  Style,  or  the  SOlh  day.  New  Style. 

On  this  20th  day  of  April,  1813,  the  Beast's  reign  of  prosperity 
was  out.  And,  in  one  prophetic  year  more,  tlie  Beast  was  to  fall. 
This  prophetic  year  was  out  on  the  ]5th  day  of  Aj)ril,  1814.  This 
15th  day  of  April,  1814,  was  the  last  day  of  the  one  year  in  v/iiich 
the  plagues  of  the  Beast  were  to  come. 

As  astronomers  begin  and  end  their  astronomical  days  at  12 
o'clock;  so,  these propht^tic  year*,  or  the  days  since  Christ's  death, 
may  begin  and  cim]  a^  12  o'clock.  For,  on  the  day  he  was  crucified, 
the  darkness  was  ovi-r  the  earth  from  the  6th  to  the  9th  hour; 
which  was  from  I  2  to  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  It  has  been  noticed 
already,  that  t!ie  Jews  be^an  and  ended  their  days  at  sunset.  Where- 
fore, midnig'i.t  was  their  6  o'clock,  and  ahout  sunrise,  was  their  12j 
and  mid-day  was  their  6  o'clock,  and  .'bout  sunset,  was  their  12. 

From  the  20(h  duy  of  April,  1813,  New  Style,  the  Sanctuary 
begins  to  hr-  cieat?sed  ;  and  this  one  year,  in  which  -the  plagues  came 
and  oviM  turned  the  Beast,  in  the  first  year  of  cleansing  the  Sanctua- 
ry. But  the  Sanctuary  will  be  cleaiised  but  slowly  during  the  first 
30  prophetic  years,  froai  the  20th  of  April,  1813,  but  every  year 
more  than  the  precfdio*  yeir.  For  '^  many  shall  be  .purified, 
and  mriile  white,  and  tried."  during  'his  30  years.  "But  the  wick- 
ed shall  {lo  wickedly  :  and  none  of  the  wicked  shall  understand; 
but  the  wi-e  shall  understand."     Diiniel  12.  10. 

Th(  1290  yeurs  of  Dmiel  12.  11.  begin  with  the  1260,  and  end 
■with  the  30  years  after  them.  These  30  propheiic  years  will  be  out 
a  little  before  tl.e  19lh  day  ot  November,  in  the  year  1842. 

But,  in  45  prophetic  years  more,  the  Millennium  begins.  For 
the  1335  years  of  Daniel  12.  12,  begin  with  the  1260,  and  end  45 
years  .<» ft er  the  12V'0,  and  75  years  after  the  1260,  which  ends  the 
Beast's  reign. 

These  1335  prophetic  years  will  be  out  a  little  before  the27tlk 


d:sj  of  Maicli.  in  he  ye\;r  1' ST  ;  which  v»i!I  be  75  prophetic  yc;\is 
fruM)  the  2()'ii  (if  V;*ii!,  18  i3,  nd  4j  proplietic  years  iVoiii  i.ie  l9tii 
of  N:)ven)ber,  1842. 

The  12G0  years,  the  hy;)0,  an!  the  1335  vc-ars,  a'l  begin  toge- 
ther, 550  prop!ietic  year.s  after  the  death  of  Ciirisr.  Ami  the  550 
pn.plietic  years^frum  the  dt-ath  of  Christ,  were  out  near  about  the  1st 
day  of  June,  in  the  year  571   of  the  Chris'ian  era. 

Ni>\v,  the  12G0  years  were  out  on  the  20fh  diy  of  April,  18IS. 
The  1290  years  will  be  out  30  years  after  that,  which  will  be  about 
th:*  IDthof  November,  1842.  And  the  1335  years  will  b;- oiu  48 
prophetic  years  after  that,  which  will  be  about  the  27t.h  of  March, 
1 837. 

The  Meliennium  is  to  begin  at  the  end  of  the  1335  years  of 
Daniel  12.  12,  which  will  be  about  the  27th  day  of  March,  1887," 
and  this  will  be  75  prophetic  years  from  the  20th  of  April,  1813,  du- 
ria;);  which  period  the  Sanctuary  must  be  cleansed  ;  slowly,  for  the 
first  30  years,  or  until  ^bout  the  19th  of  November,  1842.  And 
much  faster  for  the  next  45  prophetic  years,  or  until  about  the  27di 
of  March,  1887,  This  75  years,  during  which  the  Sanctuary  is  to 
be  cleansed,  is  that  curious  day  thatshall  be  neither  clear  nor  dark. 
Zich.  14.  6—9.  It  wil!  be  a  kind  «;f  twilight  between  the  darkness 
of  the  Beast's  r?ii!:n  and  the  light  of  the  Millennium;  becoming, 
snore  and  mare  ligiit,  as  it  comes  nearer  to  the  Millennium. 

Now,  reader,  these  calculations  appear  to  the  writer  to  be  well 
founded  and  sufficiently  accaratc.  And,  if  they  really  are  founded 
Tn  truth,  they  represent  a  beautiful  and  desirable  arrangement  of 
God,  with  regard  to  the  liuinan  family.  But,  if  they  are  not  founded 
in  truth,  then,  wlu-itever  may  be  the  truth,  on  this  subject,  will  ap- 
pear more  beautiful  and  desirable  scill,  when  we  come  to  see  it. 
Wherefore,  if  we  shcuid  be  disappointed  in  tliese  calculations,  let  us 
not  be  satisfied  with  any  tiiing  in  their  place,  that  does  not  appear 
more  beaulifiil  and  desirable. 

And,  t'.'.iv.-,  ad  I  su^jpect  you  are  wishing  to  hear  some  of  tlie 
reasi^ns  wiiy  [  ivivt;  siid  the  propiietic  year  contains  360  day-!,  ir,-- 
s- e-ad  ot  an  e:*.ict  rtvisli! tiiya  of  'he  Sun,  or  any  ollitT  number  of  d.iysj 
I  will  take  up  that  point,  before  i  go  any  further. 

We  ought  nut  to  look  into  any  other  nation  but  the  Jewish,  or. 
isito  ;uiv  other  book  but  the  Bible,  tur  tiie  prophetic  year.  Toe  J  ws 
h.id  ;i  civil  and  an  ecclesiastical  year-  And  t!ie  month  Abib.  ov 
Xi'.in,  wiiich  hid  fonne-ely  been  the  7th  month  of  tiie  Jewish  civil 
y.'ar,  and  which  continued  to  be  the  7th  montli  of  ineir  civil  yeai 
by  which  tliey  d^ted  !h->-:r  civd  transactions,  was  at  the  ivifctitutiin 
of  choir  paasovcr,  coastituted  tire  iirst  :Uonth  of  tiiese  eccleaiasucttl 


354 

year,  and  was  fo  continue  fbe  first  month  of  their  ectiesiasiicsi 
jrai-  e\er  alter  :  And  tlif-ir  [easts  were  regulated  by  tiiis  date.  See 
Exod.  12.  2,  and  13.  4.  srd  23.  15,  and  a4.  18.  Levi!.  23.  5. 
Deur.  iG.  1  :  icsmpared  wiih  Esther  3.  7.  13,  and  8.  9 — 12.  Nuvr. 
2S.  l6.  A  ;:'.r  was  thi;  I2<!i  month  of  their  ecciesiastici^l  yei-.r.  See 
EsihfM-  .".  -.  13,  and  8.  12.   and  9.   1.  17.  21. 

'i  ipse  12  !i!(»",ths  lii^(!.  each  30  days  in  one,  and  £9  da_\s  in 
another,  altcrnfitei y.  So  that  6  months  had  180  (hiys.and  theotl  er 
6  months  had  only  174  n^ivs.  The  uhole  number  of  days  in  the 
12  months  beiniircnlv  354  days  and  8  hours;  because  they  measur- 
ed (heir  months  by  the  Moon,  after  they  came  out  of  E^ypt  :  al- 
ways beginning  the  month  with  the  new  moon.  And  the  moon  was 
always  full  on  the  15th. day  ofthe  month,  or  moon.  Butthe  Pass- 
over alwavs  began  on  the  14th  day  of  the  mon'h  Nisan,  which  w<is 
the  day  before  full  moon.  This  month  Nisan  commonly  agreed  wiih 
part  of  March  atul  part  of  April.  At^<l  the  full  raaon  of  this  month, 
which  was  always  a  passover  full  moon,  was  always  the  first  full 
moon  after  the  vernal  eq-iinox.  But,  whereas,  lunur  months  never 
can  be  reduced  to  solar  months  exactly,  and  the  12  lunar  months, 
containing  only  354  days  8  hours  some  minutes  and  seronds  ;  the 
Jewish  ypar  was  nearly  11  days  shorter  tl>an  a  Roman  or  civil  year, 
which  has  365  days  6  hours.  Wherefore,  in  order  to  keep  up  the 
Passover  to  the  rime  of  the  first  full  «Mon  after  the  vernal  equinox,, 
every  year,  the  Jews  were  obMged,  at  least  every  three  years,  and 
sometimes  in  two  years,  to  add  another  mouth,  of  30  days,  called 
Veadar,  or  second  Adar.  And  this  year  had  384  days.  Where- 
fore, these  years  vvere  nor.of >qaal  lengths. 

I'  is  therefore,  to  me.  satisfactorily  certain,  tliat  Daniel  and 
Jo!'n  'liti  liur  jj-ive  thcii  num  >ers  accordir.g  to  eillii-r  the  civil  or 
ecclei-i.'.stieal  year  in  use  with  the  Jews,  after  (hey  cai.ie  out  of 
E^yj>t  ;  but  accoiding  to  tiie  yt^ar  whicii  had  been  in  use  bi^fore  they 
weot  into  !''y:vpt,  »'■■  at  tMv  ti'ii-  at  f;?  V:  ><).]  ;  ao'i  wlii.h  year  tlie 
Egvptians  still  ii;ul  in  use,  '^vith  a  very  li  tie  alter.itnjn,  while  the 
Israel'rG-  w.M-r  in  E'^vpt.  Si-e  Gen.  7.  1  I .  From  tlie  !  7th  day  of 
the  Si  Ci-uil  av  ,i'i  !<>  the  ITOa  dav  of  tr.e  S'-vcotli  snorrh  ;  set-  8.  4  ; 
was  l.'O  cl;;.ys.  S^e  7.  24,  and  8.  3.  Which  150  days,  were  5 
months  exactly,  each  ntunlh  havjfjg  30  days  :  and  I2  such  m  tilths 
ha've  3C0da\s.  Aij:i  tlii^  is  unlike  the  Jeuish  civil  and  eccli>iaslical 
years,  and  tlieir  months;  for  they  had  30  days  and  29  day,  alter- 
nately, i.fc  thiv  came  out  of  Egypt. 

Eu(  the  K.jiyptians  had  30  days  to  eacit  month,  and  tlieir  12 
moot)!-  niadt'  3G0  day,  an«)  then  they  added  5  days  more,  in  all, 
makin'5  3Gj  cny^s.      Rut  this  was  5  huurs  48    minutes   57  eccond-'s 


■335 

shorter  than  a  complete  revolution  of  the  Sun.      Neither  iloes  it 
aj5"t'e  with  the  munijeis  of  l).;nii'l  and  J(>h?i. 

PiUt  tiie^e  Prop'iets  ;i|)peai-  to  h.jve  given  tlieir  numbers  cruictly 
according  to  the  Year  >n  u^eat  'die  tune  of  rh.  Fi-'Otijeach  month  havino- 
>;0(lavs,  ^ini!  1;2  such  ausnjlis  hnving  360  chiys.  For  Daniel  7.  25,  ;ind 
IC.  r.  -in,!  J  >\v^  iti  Ix.-v.:l.  [-2.  14,  speak  of  tiie  Bc-.ist's  reign  a:^  be- 
;:;n-  'Mora  !i:ne,  tim?^,  an;!  a  half."  A'.id  Rev.  11.  2,  and  13.  5, 
•<\iiiik  of  this  'iiime  p,eriii'.l  oi  fi  ■'%  anil  call  it.  42  months.  And  Rev. 
i-2,  6,  Miul  il.  o,  f.pe.;iki;jg  wf  :ne  same  pir-riud  of  time,  call  it  1260 
t'.;'-s.  Nuw,  if  a  ti:n(%  lim -s,  and  a  half,  be  three  years  aiid  a  half, 
ti.ea  -.i  •'  o.-.r.-.  are  i-xicll;/  4-2  months  5  and  42  months,  of  30  {lays  t:) 
\:   ;i;:,h!,;uo  exu'.tly  L:^60  drtys  j  and  12  such  months   arc  exactly 

15  V  -ry  ;!:it-i::!l  in  (he  a.fly  age;,  of  the   v.'or!d,  as  at  the 
e  ::-:':         ■- .it  ;•  di- ye:i:-^  and  ;a:int'is,  by  days,  as  they 
.  ;•   !- ■  .    .;■:;,. ua;i>    rr;;,':.;;;':ti    (if  days.      Fur   12   months, 
-■,:,':':    .       ,    -di  2,'j-j  d.iy^,    udi.ho!U  any   fraction;  which 
.,    .J;    -     i:  i'  ■■  ^!i;r  rt 'i .:/   bot'.Vi'cn   the  Jewish  civil    und 
;.:f  ;  •  ;!  -,  ■.\\\.\l  ■  a.l  o;dy  .,j4  days  8 -hours,    and  the  Ro- 
■   ,...:;^2     G^da}".  G  h^.i;;--,.     But,    we    nii^ht   say,   the 
■      ■.:!:■    i\.^  ,y..C:  -1  ;   s;  :   uud  the  Jewish  leap-year,  which 
!.  ,-,    id  o'r.i  ;:.->.      A  )di  iiiis  made  their  years  uas-.ven, 
;    i.c  ;■    .1  .-■■t'''S.      A    cl,  even  then,  3  Jewisii  years  lacked  3i 
da-,,-^  -■  b-:^':^  co-mI  tu  3   il^aian  years. 

L" ...j--e  -r  id;':.,l  inouth^  were  i;iver.tedin  ordertoniake  the  years, 
as  n;>a;-  a^  ;:,:  /  c  ■  dd,  e([i!;il  io  a  coaiplete  riividution  of  the  tfua^ 
w!;:cii  dii-y  !>.  vtr  c-.uld  iiiL  fxactiy. 

Li-.tsiivaca  a>  the  Pas-;over,  aad,  otr.er  fe.ists  of  the  Jev/s,  v/erc 
uot  ad  ,,..":-d  tts  tnesc'  ai  i-.t:--;  af  30  days,  and  years  of  360  -i;i\s.a  !j 
llieseji-j-rb  had  aimusi.  gr-.uvii  o'ut  of  use.  A-vJ  yet  they  vvei-'-  id- 
Uiirably  well  adapted  to  proph.e' ic  pL.fp;)S"s,  both  on  accouit 
cf  their  es-tctnes?,  and,  aisu,  because  rhe  dates  of  the  evpr-its 
were  not  to  be  Known  untd  tiie  tiaie  of  the  end.  For,  11  diose  years 
had  been  in  coininon  usi.%  tho.Te  dates  w  "jid  liavi;  ijren  more  likely 
to  have  been  aicertmnCvi  b.dVsre  the  tinn;  ol  the  e^.d. 

But  it  IS  certain  daat  Danic-l  aud  John  aid  piophvsy  according 
to  those  ancient  yecus  of  3dO  1  ays. 

For  a  time, in  a  year.  T:ie7  times,  f'at  pasSr-d  ovr  N^^buchad- 
ue/.zar,  are  7  v-ars.  For  N  bu vivid  k-z/,  ,r  v/;^  fui-.jcd  out  7  years, 
acconliriM  to  tht  best  hCi.ouui-  uSich  i  i;.  ■  e  s  ■•  ii.  A  tine,  TivneS, 
and  a  half,  aie  3|  yeais.  ^    1 --:  uv  ..i;;    t'l   •  ytur,  >m-  42  ni;»n!!is. 

A' d.  42  uioriiii?  ai  e  V^'.  (j  i_i -vb,  mt  oO  •ay-  toamo,:di.  A  d -y, 
•in  iliese  proplifcciesj  n;u&L  mean  a  year;  tor   no  eveuis  Lave  ever 


.-  ■: 

^U  ^'a 

if 

I!' 
di 

U'  •'•■ 
d  .„. 

ea 

ra  ';. 

31 

.0  ..,._ 

e. 

a    ; 

R 

[  -^ 

as 

wed 

taken  place  to  justify  a  diifercnt  meaning.  The  TO  weeks,  at  7  ^s\\y% 
to  ;i  v/{ok,  arc  490  <ti\VS,  or  years.  And  -^90  days  are  \Q~  nu.nths, 
at  30  days  to  a  month.  The  550  clays,  froiii  the  (loath  of  Christ  to 
the  rise  of  the  :iea?r,  are  18|  months.  The  whole  2300  days  are 
76  "J-Sfis  mr.ntlis.  The  1260  days  are  42  even  months.  The  1290 
«!a)saie  43  even  monlh.s  :  An;!  the  1335  days  are  44^  months. 

T!  us,  the  prophi^ic  _\ear  of  3t)0  days  measares  the  pniphetic 
time,  wit!  an  exactitude  v  hich  could  not  liave  been  equalled  by  anv 
oth'.  I  ye;;r  thiit  cvt-r  was  in  u^e  amoi  g  the  Jew?. 

The  Julian  year  never  had  been  in  use  amnng  the  Jews,  nor 
even  kn':un  "o  them,  at  tlic  tiroc  Daniel  hved.  And,  although  John 
was*  ,j'.qu;;irit!(l  w^tl>  it,  yet  he  did  not  o,s(>  it,  in  his  pr^.-phecies  ;  but 
lie  u:-,ed  the  same  yf  as ».  end  numbers,  wiiich  Daniel  had  used  before 
liim. 

And  tlicse  ujontii«;.  and  years  of  Daniel  .ind  John,  are  so  unlike 
tlu-  tivit  (;r  oc(;lesi.'i«{i<  al  nsontii  and  year  ot  ti»e  J<ws  ;  or  any  other 
0!  fi'^e  ancient  natii-.r,s;  or  any  other  niosjth,  or  year,  tlnit  totiM  be 
iri\en'ed,  to  measure  an  exact  revolution  of  the  San,  that  we  may 
fec!  rure  tliat  tlse  Pn»phe;sdid  not  mean  toexpteSfi  an  exact  or  full 
revo'Uij.);!  ofilic  Su:'.  :  or  any  oti^er  yeir,  bat  the  year  of  .360  days; 
for  it  woui!  lia\e  iiien  saying  o;ie  way,  and  meaning  another  in 
circumstances  which  would  have  required  anew  inspiration  to  have 
setield  the  true  meaning. 

It  i^  very  desirable  that  the  rei<j-n  of  darkness  should  be  thort,. 
and  that  the  Millennium  should  come  soon  ;  yet  this  does  not  alter 
the  tiinh  of  the  matter.  [lowever,  the  year  of  360  days,  being  nearly 
5  days  6  hours  shorter  than  a  full  revolution  oftheSun,  wouiil  shor. 
ten  the  reign  of  darkness,  by  20  odd  years; and  biing  on  the  lilil- 
lennium  so  much  the  sooner.  But  we  are  sure,  from  the  facts  and 
circumstances  of  the  world,  that  a  year  of  fewer  days  than  360, 
Gou'd  not  be  the  prophetic  year.  But  the  year  of  360  days,  seems  to 
agree  well  with  events  that  have  taken  place,  and  that  inny  be  regard- 
ed as  the  fall  of  the  Beast  and  the  beginning  of  the  cleansingo!  the  sanc- 
tuary. But  the  Unman  year  will  not  agree  with  those  events, 
by  20  odd  years.  For,  acording  to  the  calculation  by  prophetic 
years,  of  360  days,  the  B'^ast  fell  in  April.  I8l4,  at  the  reVidutioii 
of  the  French  Government.  But,  if  the  Jewish  civil,  cir  ecclisiusti- 
cal  year  of  354  days,  had  been  the  true  pn>phetic  year,  the  lall  of 
the  Beast  would  have  been  nearly  30  ;)eais*  sooner  j  but  no  evei.ts 
to  ik  place  at  that  time,  like  the  fall  of  liie  Beasi.  And,  if  the  Ju- 
lian year  of  365  days  6  liOiirs,  be  the  true  prophetic  year,  it  wouUl 
overshoot  the  tall  of  tl)e  French  Government,  in  1 8 14,  by  26 
years  ;    and,    consequtuily,   it  would    overshoot  aU    the  Gospel 


iiijp.ir-o  :io:!t  ui  it  iLitf  l)v'";i  nnde  biricc  that  time.  Or,  if  .V(^  iup- 
t)()s.,»  thi;  :i-'.io  jjr)o'ic'[c  veir  ti»  bo  oiie  ex.-ict  rev  >lLiti.«ii  ■•■!  •  Sr^n, 
wiiic'i  H  s:rKl  to  b.!  3i)J  ilajs  j  liour^^  4y  iniiuirei  ^37  •.ecincl-)  ;  t'ii-, 
baifi:^  1 1  iniiiutcs  ^  S'r'C.Mids  shorter  tl'.an  a  Juiia;i  year  ofo65  dins  G 
ii  turs,  wiiutd  have  niicL'  tlij  iail  of  tlie  Bea:^t  only  abo;'.i:  14  days 
somcrtlMii  tiiC  Julian  or  co  shiihj  y\!!-.  A:,i!  3  Jewisii  yeai'-,  afil 
one  of  t'iic.n  a  leap-yeir  aavin;;  [3  m  iiulv-.  b;ji!;\  3  -l  ly-  ii;!  .7ih-  <•.!  a 
<liy  shorter  tban  3  Jul!  \n  yeain,  the  J.^vl^h  )■<■  n;.  woul  !  huvo  brau^i^it 
the  fall  of  the  Baa.st,  suisiething  m-\v\'  than  G  jears  sooner  thun  the 
Jiilian  years. 

The  Julian  year  comes  acirer  1 1 'i  co  npls-o  rev:)!:;  tin  a  nf  t'le 
Siiii  than  any  other  year  th:it  h:is  ov^r  boen  v;  use  i;!  aiy  'iition  : 
hut  this  was  estab'ishyii  lOHi:;  af^cr  D-Ksiers  time.  liat  the  iMra 
bers  of  Daniel  and  Joliii  d-;  rrit  app -ar  to  have  any  r^-ference  (o  an 
exact  revolution  of  the  San,  or  to  !he  change  of  the  sc-asuns  of  thcyea'-. 
Bat  those  numbers  fire  so  ■.  xaot  ■,\nd  certain,  tliat  O.wy  w-mc  iitt-.d 
to  the  proph  'lie  purposes  wilii  more  exactnes.-.  than  any  oth^r  divi- 
sion of  liaie,  bem^  aieas'^red  by  an  ex  u^t  diui-na!  revoUition  .of  the 
S'jn,    without  any   fractions  of  davs  or  of  lime. 

Wherefijrc.  1  see  no  !ei.->o!i  o-  evidence  for  :sny  other  year  beinc; 
liie  prophetic  ve^ir;  bat  all  th;,^  reas-.Mis  and  evidence  v.itii  which  T 
aui  aeq-j  iiisted.,  ar.  in  favor  of  t 
W:is  in  use  at  i'>o  tim?  of  t?!;;  Mi  •: 
ed  in  E;»;ypt,    bemj^KUki  (rn- pr,']:, 

Fro-n  t^ie  f  ir-z'^.;"!,';  ■  :■:    a  ..i:  lis  ■  ^,  :':;  i;;, ':;;•-:  ^;;,,*  :'■  •     :■   ose 

about  the  iir-tdtv  of.iir.v-.  -n  ihc  y:.-r,r  57  1  if  xi-  L  - ;  -  ■•■■:>,■- 
w'lica  was  :y3'J  ;iro;>^''!ic  v.^rs  .if;:s'  v  e  (U^;i''.  -  {^n,^::.  Ars,:  -iidt 
th;:  tiaie  lit  r,)-'  ■ir.5-j)i'riiy  w.is  oat  )••  tiie  ::';'ii  •  -'■-,'•■'■',  S\  }  ^■^;■J 
in  ):!•-  prop'-e;!c  vi^ar  nusre,  which  \v:;si  :;i!i  :  t;ie  l5i'-:  ut  Airiii, 
18!4,   he  was  to  faii.      Now,  .who  was  tiu    IJ        r  ? 

Daniel,  7t\\  chapter.  i;i  ;re  Si-.t  ji-a;  •■^  H 
]5ibyi'»n,  Danif-1  saw  f^jr  j;re;i^  iiea-.ts  ccinv^  ■■, 
verse  one  frum  ,i!!  >ther. 

The  tirsr.  was  like  .•  ''mn  ;  the  second,  iiive 
like  a  leopard  ;  and  -'a  foni-;  ■  B^ast,  dieaiifu 
-stron:' excee.iir.'^' V  ;  audit  hati  -;>  if  'wri.  ■•  p-! 
brake  in  pieces,  and  stamped  the  res-due  vviiJ!  !he  [c^-i  t:t  it  ;  at''!  it 
was  diverse  from  all  the  Beasrs  that  v,  <  re  befor--  it  ;  ird  it  rai*  ea 
hora.»."  "I  considered  t'le  horo'^.  arw!  'r  •  ol;',,  rhere  v:'Me  up 
amifOj;  them  atiother  lirtle  hor:*,  befote  whom  ther^'  were  thr'-e  of  die 
first  iiorns  plucked  i:p  by  fie  'oo*'b>  :  and,  b.  holv;,  ii!  his  horn 
were  eyes  like  the  eyes  of  a  man,  ai-d  a'  mouth  speiiUiio-  grt-at 
tlHi.gs."     The  interpretation  given  to  Paniel,  was    this:  '•  Tlje*'^ 

cc 


ancient    ve;!r  'jf  3 

;'f; 

da;.. 

ii 

:\'\'\    >v!iit;h  -vos  Sr 

r  i  '■.  i 

n^lvim 

ita^ 

;c  verir  of  Danic! 

iX-y 

i  John. 

.!K:---^r,   Kir 

1-  of 

:  >:  1  the   btd 

rui- 

^ 

bear  ;  the  '\ 

liird. 

an<l  t-^i  riU't . 

.ind 

:     !■    .'■i'\.,r^'-^^|[ 

a.d 

n  .-1  o 


;^!vit  h<  r;Ms.   v.!;ith  arc  four,  are  four  King=,   wirun  s;..all  aii:-;o  ant 
oi'lhi'  ca,  th." 

E  tt  Daiiic!  was  snore  particulai-  to  !.  ;i(i\v  ila'  ''it:!!!!  of  tic  {'ovirlh 
Kcast  v.lii^l!  \'.;iSMiiv(  i-e  fVotn::!!  tite  oiluMs.i'Xcecciiiig  (iicadiu!,  wlsuse 
i.crili  wero  (  !  iron  i'di!  liis  n.i;is  ol  In  ass,  which  <!e\our({I,  brake  in 
)>itces.  aau  suioipt'd  ihe  residue  witii  his  feet ;  and  of  the  ten  hotns 
that  v\0!c  iu  I'.is  hv;td,  aiid  of  tiie  other  which  came  up,  and  before 
\\hoiii  three  fell  ;  even  of  that  horn  that  !iad  eye?,  and  a  nioutli  that 
^paUe  very  grvat  thin<i;s,  whose  look  was  more  stout  tl'.an  his  leilows-. 
i  btiiield,  aru!  the  same  horn  made  war  with  the  Saints,  and  pre- 
vai'ci?  ;.'gairist.  them  :  until  the  Ancient  of  Dl-ys  came,  and  Jiuig- 
i:ient  was,iven  oftiie  Saints  of  the  Most  liigl.,  r.nd  the  time  came 
that  (he  Saints  possessed  the  Kirgoc«i!. 

"  Tlius  lie  said.  The  fourth  Beast  sh.'il  be  the  fuuitii  kingdom 
ripoii  carlhi,  which  shall  be  diverse  froniall  kingdoms,  and  shall  de- 
vour the  uliole  earih,  and  shall  tread  it  down,  aud  break  it  in  pieces. 
A!h!  \);l-  ten  luiins  out  of  this  k!i)a,;io!;i  :•.:(>  trn  kirtgs  that  shhll 
;!>i,-e  :  r.v.{\  auoiher  shall  rise  after  them  ;  and  he  shall  b*' diverse 
i'ioni  the  i'lrst.  and  iic  shall  subdue  three  kings.  And  he  shall  speak 
:-;!e;;t  words  against  the  Most  High,  and  siiall  wear  out  tlie  Saints 
'  !  li'e  Most  Higli.  and  think  to  change  li-nes  and  laws  :  and  tliey 
-  ;.i;!  be  given  into  his  hand  until  a  time,  and  times,  and  the  di- 
\ .  i'-i!g  ol   tirne. 

•'  ;;  ;t  the  Judgment  shall  sit,  and  they  shall  take  away  his  do- 
Mi.Kior,,  1.0  covisuuie  and  to  destroy  it  unto  the  end.  And  the  king- 
ilon»  and  iioiidnion,  and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  under  tiic 
ihe  whole  heaven,  shall  be  given  to  the  people  ot  the  Saints  of  the 
Most  High,  whose  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingilom,  and  all  do- 
minions shall  serve  and  obey  him." 

To  the  same  purpose,  see  Rev  I3.  I — 1£.  "  And  I  stood  upon 
t'lc  sand  of  the  sea,  and  I  saw  a  Beast  rise  up  cut  of  the  sea,  hav- 
ing seven  heads  aud  ten  horns,  and  upon  his  horns  ten  crowns,  and 
upon  his  hea  Is  the  name  of  blasphemy.  And  I  saw  one  of  his 
heads  as  it  were  wounded  unto  death  ;  and  his  deadly  wound  was 
healed  ;  and  all  the  world  wondered  after  the  Beast. 

"  And  1  beheld  atiother  Beast  coming  up  out  of  the  earth,  and 
he  had  two  horns  like  a  lamb,  and  he  spake  as  a  dragon.  And  he 
exercised  all  the  power  of  the  first  Beast  belore  liim,"  (or,  he  exer- 
cised all  the  authority  of  the  first  Beast,  in  his  sight  or  in  his  pre- 
sence.) See  Rev.  17.1 — 18.  "So  he  cai  ried  me  away  in  the  Spi- 
rit in  the  wilderness;  and  1  saw  a  woman  sit  upon  a  scarlet-co- 
lored beast,  lull  of  nauies  of  blasphemy,  having  seven  heads  and  ten 
iiorn^.      A.nd  the  woman  was  arrayed  in  purple  and  scarlet   colcr. 


■■■■s^ 

1 


o3y 

MUil  (k'ckoti  will:  ;!;o!t!,  and    pncioas    slono?,    and   i)e;u!s,  hitving  a 
j;i)l(k'ii  cu|)  in  her  !i;i;u!,  i'^iil  ('.raboaVuiutioii^  and  iillhincss  of  lier  (or- 
nication  .-   And  uprm  her  forehead  was  a  name  vvritlen,  ivlYSTERY, 
BABYLON    THE  Gai^AP,  THE   MO TH^.R    OF  HARLOTS, 
AND  ABOMINATIONS  OF  THE  EARTii.      And   I  saw  the 
wo'.uan  dfuiiken  with  the  blood  of  the  Saints,  and  with    ihe  blmxl   ot 
the  martyr-sof  .lesus  :  and,  when  I  saw  hei.,  I  wondered  with  gteut 
admiration.     And  the  angel  said  unto   tne,   Whercd'ore    didst  thou 
marvel  r       I  will   tell  the  mystery  of  the  woman,  and   of  the   beast 
tliat  caitieih  her,  which  huth  the  seven   lieads  and  tea  horns.      Tiie 
beast  thou    sawest,  was,  and  is    not  ;  and  sliall   ascend  out  of  the 
bottomless  pit,  and  go  into  perdition  :   and  they    that  dwell   on  the 
earth  shall  uuniler  (whose  naoncs  were  not  written  in  the  book  of  life 
from  the   foundation  of  the   world,)   v/hen    they    buhuld  llie    Beast 
that  was,  and  is  nol,  and  yet  is.      And   here  is  the  mind  which  hatii 
wisdom.     The  seven  heads  are  seven  mountains,  on  which  the  Wo- 
man sitteth.      And  there  are  seven  kings  :  ftve  are  fallen,  and  cue 
is,  and  the  other  is  not  yet  come  j  and  when   he   cometh,  he  w.wt 
continue  a  short  space.     And  the  Beast  that  was,   and  is  not,  c\-.  :: 
is  the  oi!j;!it!),    and  i~  of  jho  ^e^■cn,  and  ;:;oifh   int:)  y-r  )■■]'■■■ , 

no  kingdom  as  yet  ',  but  receive  power  as  kings  one  hour  with  the 
Beast. These  have  one  mind, and  shall  give  their  power  &  strength  unto 
the  Beast.  These  shall  make  war  with  the  Lamb,  and  the  Lamb  shall 
overcome  them  :  for  he  is  Lord  of  Lords  and  King  of  Kings  ;  and 
they  that  are  with  him  are  called,  and  chosen,  and  fuitld'u!.  And  'iC 
saith  unto  me,  The  waters  which  thou  sawest,  where  tiie  whore  sii- 
teth,  are  peoples,  and  multitudes,  and  nations,  and  tongues.  And 
the  ten  horns  which  thou  sawest  upon  the  Beast,  these  shall  hate 
the  whore,  and  shall  make  her  desolate  and  naked,  and  shall  eat  her 
flesh,  and  burn  her  v/ith  lire.  For  God  hath  put  in  their  hearts  to 
fulfil  his  will, and  to  agree,  and  give  tiieir  kingdom  unto  the  Beast, 
until  the  words  of  God  shall  be  fuiliiled.  And  the  woman  which 
thou  sawest,  is  that  greut  city,  which  reigneth  over  the  kings  oTthe 
earth." 

This  seven  headed,  ten-horned  Beast  of  Daniel  and  John,  was 
the  civil  Government  (d'the  Rom.ms. 

The  Roman  Government  was  the  fourth  i'rom  the  one  in  which 
Daniel  lived,  which  was  the  Biibylonish  Govcrnnienr.  Tlve  second, 
v.ra3  the  MedoPersian  Government.  The  third,  was  llic  Grecian, 
and  the  fourth,  was  the  Roman  Government. 

At!  that  was  said  by  Daniel  and  John,  about  the  sevon-heaJed. 
ten-horned  B'.fast,   fits  the  cnil  Government  of  Rome  to  admiration. 


54i 

;Uie  sx'Vi  a  ajuunt.iiu?,  or  iiCiuls,  were  sLVt'iMliUeiCfit  lurnib  oi' Gdv- 
(.'(HineMt,  uriijer  wliich  the  Roman  Goveriinu-iii  was  adiirinisicrcd. 

Arcoiding  to  the  best  writers  on  tl;e  su!i_^ocf.  the  seven  hea.'s 
;ire  : — 1st.  Kings  :  2iid.  Consuls;  5d.  Dictators,:  4th.  Decem- 
y'wiy  ;  ofh.  Military  TribirK's  :  6th.  Eoipciors;  7th.  Patricians': 
T:U  ariil  8th,  juiiuMi  together,  C.i!li'»vi!!2;!an  Patricio  lv.nper*:rs. 

Tlie  first  iive  of  t:o.-o  heads  ha(i  fiiUen  when  John  wiuie  ihe 
u';(ivr  description  ;  and  one  was  then  in  being,  wh.ich  was  the  Env' 
[;e;ur8  ;  buf  the  rest  had  not  come.  0;ie  of  fuesc  hea'is  was  wound- 
e^i  unto  death,  a»  it  were,  but  his  deadly  wound  wan  healed,  as  will 
be  s!ieun  hrreafter. 

A  civil  G'jverninent  was  called  a  Beast,  not  because  it  was  a 
Civil  Government,  but  because  it  was  an  idolatrous  Govern;jient. 
Ancienj  Paj^an  R-;nne  was  idolatrous,  and  is  the  •'  Beast  that  was;'' 
but,  lii'terwards,  under  Constantino  the  Empi^ror.  Rome  became  a 
{>  ristian  Government,  and  ceased  to  be  idolatrous,  and,  then,  sivC 
is  tlie  "Beast  that  is  not  :"  but,  after  this,  when  she  became  idol- 
atrous i.gn\n  (Luder  Popery,  then  she  w-as  the  *'  Beast  that  yet  is." 

The  ten  horns,  or  kings,  haci  received  no  kingdom  in  Jolm's 
i  f.'.e  :  br.t,  afterwards,  the  Ro»r)  ui  Empire  was  divided  info  fen 
k'Mudoni?.  The  historian  Maciiiavel,  and  the  clu-iuKdouer  Bp. 
Liovij.  ill  Faber,  reckon  up  the  ten  kinndomg.  into  wliich  the  Roshau 
E  r,pire  was  divided  thus  :  "  1st.  Tue  Iluns,  about  ti^e  year  356  j 
2ni\.  The  O^u-oroihs,  377  ;  Sd.  The  Vi.ijjoths,  S78  :  4th.  The 
Franks-  40";  5th.  The  Vandals,  407;  6th.  The  Sweves  and  .\lansv 
40"  ;  7th.  The  Buriiundians,  407  ;  8th.  Th.e  Heruli  and  Rugii, 
476;  9tli.  The  S«xons,  476  :  lOlh.  The  Longobards,  or  Lombards^ 
in  t-;eNnrth  orGfrtnanv.  ir.  4"o,  and  in  Hungary.  526."  All  lh(^e 
u  !e>  ort'  bv-!ure  the  year  Sr"!  ;' in- which  year  the  Beast  aioj;e,  ac- 
cording io  th.e  foregoing  cuKuli'.tions. 

^'ore  will  be  said  about  these  things,  in  anoiJier  [dace.  I  must 
n  ).v  say  sometiiing  abotjt  the  little  horn,  whic!\  came  up  aniongtiio 
te:^  h' rri;,.  and  b?^'';r-..'  whom  three  of  the  f^irm^r  liorns  fell. 

After  iiic  r.evet!  headed,  ten-horned  Beast,  Joiiis  saw  another 
Di  ;ist  caiiiK  opoutuftiie  earth:  tsnd  he  had  two  horns  like  a  iamb, 
,  !!.!  ■  ■■  spake  as  a  <lfaQ;on'.  Tiiis  Bt>-ist,  atid  th.e  liule  ho;  n  of  (he 
s'^voi!  hi-aded,  !en-hor;ieu  B-ast  o(  Daniel,  are  tirC  same  ihing. 

For,  from  the  time  .]ohn  saw  the  seven  hea-ied  ten  horned 
15  -iist  coioe  up  out  of  tite  sea,  tiiere  was  given  iiini  a  ••  nsDulh 
si,>e  ikiu!;;  gr^'at  thiiigs,  aad  b!a-phemies;  and  po-.ver  was  ^iven  unto 
hhr,  t(i  continue''  (nr,  to  make  s^ar)  "  fortytwu  rr.oniLs."  Sec 
|?-jv.  i.>,  1 — 5,  But  Ihe  B.'itst  with  "  two  h{^riw  ii've  a  lamb, 
»i;ii.;;i.'  .i--ia  dragon,  and  cxetci^cd  all   tiie   pLiwer  ol  tiie    iirst    Beasf, 


before  hi  in;"  (or  in  his  siglit.)  See  Rev.  13.  1  i,'l^.f  WinMt-ior. ,  lliis 
two-horned  Beistmu^t  continue  forty-tvvo  months  h(!f'oi<',  or  in  ihv 
siiiht;  of  the  first  !>east,  in  or'ler  to  exercise  a!i  his  pov.cr.  From 
the  time  the  seven-hea(]ed,  ten-horned  Beast  rose  up  out  o\  f!ie  sea, 
he  was  the  Beast  '•  tiiat  yet  is,"  and  continues  so  the  forly-twu 
months  ',  and  the  two  horned  Beast  was  to  continue  with.  Iiins.  And 
these  forty-two  mon;hs  are  the  same  with  thelime,  times-,  and  the  di- 
viding of  time,  during  which  the  Saints,  were  to  be  delivered  into 
the  hand  of  the  little  horn.  And  this  is  the  1260  years  of  the  Beast's 
reign.  And,  also,  the  woman  that  sitteth  upon  the  seven-headed, 
ten-horned  Beast,  is  the  same  as  this  little  horn  of  Daniel,  and  ti'.e 
two-horned  Beast  of  J.)hn.  For  riding,  governing,  and  diioctiii'',' 
the  Beast,  is  really  exercising  all  the  po'.vers  of  the  Beast.  A;:d 
this  she  did  during  the  1260  years.  Wherpfore,  1  i.iciuda  ;'"  t-i  ,•.!! 
under  the  term  Beast,  when  I  :-^ay  the  Beast  rose  or  fei!  at  a  cei- 
tain  time.  This  little  horn,  and  two  horned  Beast,  and  woman,  aU 
being  the  same  thing,  represent  Popery,  or  what  is  called  t^e  V»  esc- 
ern  Apostacy. 

It  will,  perhaps,  be  proper,  now,  to  shew  some  of  the  diirerenca 
between  the  little  horn  of  the  seven-headed,  ten-horned  B^ast,  ;ind 
ihe  little  horn  of  the  he  goat. 

Daniel,  8th  chapter,  3d  verse,  say^^ — *'  Tiien  I  !i(';ef!  up  inine 
eyes,  and  saw,  and.  behold,  there  stood  before  the  river  a  ram  wiiich 
had  two  horns:  and  the  two  horns  were  high  ;  but  one  was  higher 
thao  the  other,  and  the  higher  came  up  la-.t 

"  4.  1  saw  the  ram  pusliing  westward,  and  northward,  and 
southward  ;  so  that-  no  Eeast  might  stand  before  iiiin,  neitlier  was 
there  any  that  could  deliver  out  oi  liis  hand  ;  but  he  did  accordiur.- 
to  his  will,  and   becaiv.e  great. 

"5.  And,  as  I  was  considering,  behold,  an  he-goat  came 
Irom  the  west  on  the  face  of  the  whole  earth,  and  touehed  not  tiie 
ground  :'  and  the  goat  had  a  notable  horn  between  his  eve>. 

''  6.  And  he  came  to  the  ram  that  had  two  horns,  which  I  h::d 
seen  standing  before  the  river,  and  ran  uuto  him  in  the  fury  of  his 
power. 

"7.  And  I  saw  him  come  close  unto  the  ram,  and  he  was 
moved  with  choler  against  him,  and  suiofe  the  ram  and  brake  hi:s 
two  horns  ;  and  there  was  no  power  in  the  raui  to  st.ind  before  him, 
but  he  cast  him  down  to  the  ground,  and  stamped  upon  him  :  un;'- 
there  was  none  that  could  deliver  the  ram  out  of  his  h;ind. 

"  S.  rherefore,  the  he-goat  waxed  vt  ry  great  :  and  when  hp 
was  strong,  the  great  horn  was  broken  ,•  and,  for  it,  carae  up  kr^v 
n.Mable  ones  toward  the  four  winds  of  heaven. 


342 

'.'  Ami  t)!it  oi  one  of  tlje.n  came  forth  a  little  horn,  wliicn  waxed 
pxcpf'dinijKrfaf,  fovraril  the  Sou'li,  and  toward  the  Kust,  and  to- 
vvard  '!u'  ple.isarit  land." 

The  explanation  given  to  Daniel,  runs  thus  :  see  verse  20  : — 
"The  r;jrn  which  thou  sawest  having  two  horns  are  the  kings  of 
Mei'ia  and  Persia. 

'"  And  the  nHi;;>h  goat  is  the  king  of  Grecia  :  and  the  great  horn 
that  is  betui^f'H  hi->  eyes,  is  the  first  king. 

"  22-  Now,  that  being  broken,  whereas  four  stood  up  for  it,> 
four  kinj^dorns  shall  stand  up  out  of  fhe  nation,  but  not  in  his 
power. 

"  23.  And  in  the  latter  time  of  the'r  kingdom  vvlien  the  trans- 
gressors are  come  to  the  full,  a  king  of  fierce  countenance,  and  un- 
ticrstunfiino;  rlark  sentences,  shall  stand  up. 

••  2-J.  And  his  power  shall  be  mighty,  but  not  by  his  own  pow- 
tr  :  and  i>e  shall  destroy  wonderfully,  and  shall  prosper,  and  prac- 
tise, and  -'.all  destroy  the  mighty  and  the  holy  people." 

The  r;uii  represented  the  Medo-Persian  Government,  which 
was  next  after  the  Babylonian.  Media  and  Persia,  before  Daniel's 
Jeath,  joined  together,  and  conqaered  the  Babylonians,  and  formed 
one  government.  It  is  said  by  some,  that  the  Medo-Persians  adopt- 
ed a  liato  for  their  National  Emblem,  as  the  Americ;r«g  have  adopt- 
i'.u  an  f'itgle.  This  Government  became  very  strong  and  prosper- 
ous fir  some  years,  and  spread  out  westward,  southward,  and 
northward  ;  so  that  no  other  Government  could  stand  before  it, 
iuitil  it  met  with  the  he-goat,  which  was  about  342  years  before  the 
Christian  era. 

The  he  goat  represented  the  Grecian  or  Macedonian  Empire  j 
and  the  great  horn  represented  the  Macedonian  Empire,  under 
Alexander  the  Grejt,  who  conquered  the  Persians,  and  put  an  end 
to  the  Medo-Per.sian  Empire.  It  is  said  by  some  good  authorities., 
ihatlhehe  goat  was  the  National  Emblem  of  the  Macedonians.  So 
Ihat  this  national  conflict  was  prophetically  represented  by  a  battle 
between  the  ram  and  goat,  which  were  the  emblems  of  the  two  na- 
lioos.  Macedonia  lies  west  from  Media  and  Persia.  Wherefore, 
the  he  goat  was  seen  coming  up  from  the  west.  Alexander  came  up 
from  t!ie  west,  and  overturned  the  Medc-Persian  empire,  and  truly 
uune  vvas  abie  to  stand  b<'fore  him.  And,  when  his  empirt-  had  be- 
,-came  large  and  strong,  Alexander  died,  or,  the  great  horn  was 
broken.      And,   for  it,  came  up  four  notable  ones. 

Joseohus  says — "  Now,  when  Alexander,  King  of  Macedon, 
ba<l  put  an  end  to  the  dominion  of  the  Persians,  and  had  settled 
tlte  affairs  ia  Jadea  after  the  furementioned  manDcr,  he  ended  his  life. 


343 

A'.Ki,  as  1)1*  govern  nut  tVii  among  maay,  Anfi^onu.s  obtaitieH 
Asia,  Scleuciis,  Btbjlon;  an'l  of  the  o'lier  nations  whicii  were  (he)-e, 
Lvsinnclius  governe;!  the  Hellespont,  anil  Gassantler  po^s^^sec! 
Macedonia,  astiid  Ptolniy  'Ho  son  of  Lagus  seize  upon  Eoypt." 

But  Anti^;onus  does  not  appear  to  nave  ever  become  settled  in 
liis  division  ;  and,  thprcfore,  his  division  never  was  a  notable  horn. 
There  were  only  four  nctable  horns. 

For,  after  Alexander's  death,  Cassander  had  Macedonia  anil 
Greece.  Lysiinac.hu«;  hijd  Thr  see,  (afterwards  called  Uornania,)  and 
the  countries  borderina;  on  the  HellespOdt  and  Bosphoru^.  Seleu- 
cus  had  Chaldea,  Persia,  and  the  East  countries.  And  Ptolemy 
had  Esypt,  Lybia,  Arabia,  Palestine,  and  Syria.  Now  Thrace,  of-. 
Romania,  belonged  tUe  division  of  Ly-«iiniachus.  And  in  Thrace, 
stood  the  ancient  city  Byz^intiam.  And  this  division  of  Lysiraachus 
appears  to  be  the  one  out  of  which  the  little  horn  of  the  be  goat 
arose,  which  wased  exceedini;  great  toward  the  southland  toward 
the  east,  and  tovv'ard  the  pleasant  land.  For.  after  the  Romans  had 
conquered  the  Grecians,  and  trampled  the  Macedonian  dominions 
under  their  feet,  and  extended  their  amies  nearly  over  the  world., 
Constantine,  the  Roman  Emperor,  bail*  Constantinople,  at  or  near 
Byzantium,  and  made  it  the  Seat  of  the  Roman  Empire.  About  the 
year  3-20  of  the  Christian  era,  Constantine  became  the  sole  master  of 
the  Roman  Empire.  And,  having  built  Constantinople,  and  moved 
the  seat  of  Government  from  Rome  to  that  city,  he  died  in  about 
file  year  336.  But  Constantinople  continued  to  be  the  Seat  of  the 
whole  Government' until  about  the  year  364  of  the  Christian  era. 
At  which  time  a  division  of  the  Roman  Empire  took  plare,  and 
Home  was  made  the  seat  of  the  Western,  or  Roman  Emperors, 
until  the  year  476,  when  Odoacer  deposed  Momyilus,  or  Augus-^ 
tulus,  and  put  an  end  to  the  Western  Empire. 

But  Canstantiople  continued  to  be  the  seat  of  the  Eastern,  or  Greek 
Empire,  as  it  was  then  called,  until  about  the  year  1204,  at  which 
time  it  v/as  transferred  to  another  Government. 

But  Constantinople  was  the  seat  of  that  power  which  was  reore- 
sfented  by  the  little  horn  of  the  he  goat,  and  wiiich  was  to  rise  up, 
in  "  the  latter  time  of  their  kingdom,  when  the  transgressors  ar6 
come  to  the  full."  This  "little  horn"  of  the  he  goat,  or  '-Ising  of  lierce 
countenance^"  was  the  Eastern  Apostacy,  which  spread  all  over  the 
Ehist,  andSotith,  and  wherever  the  Greek  church  extended  its  arras. 
Or  branches  and  influence. 

The  Patriarch,  or  Bishop  of  Constantinopip,  camp  to  bf>  acknow- 
iediied  head  overall  the  Eastern  Church,  as  the  Bishop  of  R  .me  came 
to, he  acknowledged  head  or  Pope,  overaUtlie  Western  Church,  And 


344 

there  docs  not  appear  to  me.  any  reason  more  iti  favor  of  the  West- 
ern Apostacy  taking  place  in  Romt*,  than  there  is  for -the  Eastern 
Apostacy  taking  plate  in  Constantinople.  All  the  stupidity  and 
i-riiorance  of  ti^.e  truth  otlfie  Gospel,  and  aH  the  warm  and  endless 
dis])ute5  and  bickerinp;^,  about  the  most  trifling,  silly,  and  absurd 
phamtoms  of  fhcir  own  imagination,  ecjiially  distracted  the  East 
aud  the  West.  And  all  the  pride,  ambition,  and  fraud;  and  the 
same  design,  arts,  intrigue,  duplicity,  and  corruption,  \Tas  felt  and 
manifested  by  both,  to  gain  and  hold  the  supremacy,  one  over  the 
•ther,  as  perpetual  rival  bishops.  Power  was  the  gre.itest  object  of 
botli  bishops,  and  that  continually  from  aoe  to  age,  by  whatever 
means  it  could  be  obtained;  and  every  'ither  consideration  liad  to 
give  way  when  it  stood  in  compelitiou  v.iih  that  a!l-iinporfent  object, 
power.  Tlicrchad  been  a  great  falling  away  from  the  trutli  and  Spirit 
of  Christianity  before  the  time  of  Consfanline  the  Greit.  But  after 
he  p!■ofe^sed  Christianity,  and  turned  the  lav.s  of  the  Empire  in 
fa\or  ()f  ii,  and  made  a  law  gi'  injj  the  Ijishons  a  kind  of  civil  juiis- 
diction,  and  making  the  decisions  of  the,  Bisliops  final,  from  which 
there  was  no  appeal,  and  cornueilirig  the  Magistrate  to  execute  the 
sentence  of  the  Bishop,  be  it  right  or  wrong;  allowing  an  appeal 
from  any  oth.er  court  to  theirs,  bu'  not  from  theu-  court  to  any  other'j 
then  began  thei:  Episcopal  jurisdicrion,  with  all  the  forms  of  civil 
courts.  And  then  began,  in  their  courts.  aU  the  frauds. '  intrigue, 
falsehood,  and  inju.-dice,  tiiat  are  to  be  seen  aljout  other  civil  courts^ 
until  the  Spirit  of  Christianity  left  Iheii'  courts  a.s  completely  as  it 
has  ioft  thecivil  courts  of  our  own  tisnes,  or  any  other  age  of  the 
world. 

It  is  tr'ie  that  this  power  of  the  Bisl'.ops,  was  sometimes  cur- 
tailed by  'aws  of  the  Government,  made  after  the  reign  ot  Constan- 
tine.  But,  also,  their  powers  and  privil^-ges  were  sometioies  in- 
creased to  an  enormous  degree,  and  were  often  as  badly  abused,  and 
perverted  to  the  most  wicked,  corrupt,  and  base  purposes,  with  a 
view  to  aagrjnilize  themselves,  and  increase  and  establish  their 
power  :;nd  authority. 

And,  if  the  Greek  Church,  at  Constantinaple.  never  rose  to 
such  a  frighvfu!  height  as  the  Roman  Cl^urch  did,  at  Rome,  it  was 
certainly  not  from  the  want  of  ihe  same  disposition.  Bur  it  was 
owing  to  the  Eastern  Emperors,  who  continued  to  hold  the  ci\il 
power  in  Constantino))!e,  for  many  years,  and  who  ind'.dg.  d.  or  in- 
creased, or  curtailed  the  power  of  the  Bishops  of  Constan-inople,  as 
seemed  to  best  suit  their  own  policy.  And,  on  the  same  princi- 
ples, they  somerimes  favored  the  Roman  Church.  And  this  was 
the  case  uith  the  abominable  Phocas.  the  Eastern  Emperor,  in  ihe 
year  6f)6.  which  will  hp  n!»mofl  hoiouftc 


1 


1  iiiH  aware  tiiat  iM;i!»oin«tism  has  been  sonieilnu's  spoken  of 
as  being  the  littli;  liorn  of  the.  lie  goat,  and  king  of  fierce  counte- 
nance, ant!  as  con^^titQliiii;  the  Kastern  Apostacy.  But,  in  my  view, 
Mah'.nnotisin  is  on!y  a  part,  not  the  vvh;ile  of  t!ie  E.istem  x\pi)sta- 
cy.  It  is  frue  ihit  Malio:jiet  was  an  Arabian  :  and  Arabia  was  a 
part  of  the  (lomiaions  of  Alexander;  and,  after\var<ls,  Arabia  fell 
to  Pcoleniy,  as  a  part  of  his  domi;;ions.  And,  co.nsequenfly,  Mc^ 
hometism  arose  out  of  one  of  the  horns  of  (lie  hi' guat.  But  I  ex- 
pact  to  s!ie-vv  th.iL  the  E'tstera  Apostacy  liad  begun  before  or  about 
the  tirna  Mahoinet  was  boi'n,  and  had  spread  S'j  far  East  and  South 
from  Constanrmople,  as  that  it  readied  to  Ma'iomet  :  and  that  IVla- 
hoiuet  fell  in  withi  it,  aod  tiiat-  Mahometism,  as  a  part  of  the  East- 
ern Apostacy,  spread  over  the  East  and  South,  and  at  length  took 
its  seat  in  Coos^antaiople.  it  is  agreed,  on  all  bands,  that  Mahaniet 
made  up  his  system,  part  ofthe  Eastern  Paganish  superstition,  avA 
and  p.i.rt  of  Judaism,  and  a  larger  part  of  corrupt  Christianity  ;  audj 
same  writers  ?ay,  that  the  corrupt  Christianity  was  furnislied  by 
Sergius,  a  Monk  of  the  Eastern  Church,  who  had  left  the  s':v;(!ing 
he  once  had  in  the  Eastern  Church,  and  fell  in  with,  and  ie'ped 
Mahomet.  Mr.  Faber  calls  this  Sergius,  the  Fallen  Star  ofthe  Re- 
ve'a'i.in. 

Whrr.^f<H-c.  tiiere  is  tnore  propiiety  in  dating  the  rise  of  t!)e 
Eastern  Apost^ey  at  Constantinople,  than  at  the  cave  of  Hera,  in 
Arabia.  Mahomet  was  born  in  May,  of  the  year  571  of  the  Chris- 
tian era  ;  whicii  is  the  very  year  in  which  I  am  trying  to  prove  that 
the  Beast  arose,  both  in  Rome  and  Constantinople.  And  some  writ- 
ers say,  that  Mahomet  went  into  his  cave  of  Hera,  to  form  his  Ko- 
ran, in  tiie  year  G09,  a!  thou:.rh  Mr.  Faber  an  •  tlicr.^  say,  606.  All 
this  time,  whic!)  was  abssut  38  years,  from  571  t.>  609,  the  Eastern 
Oiiurch  was  much  m<)re  confused  and  divi'led  in  opini  m,  tlum  at 
any  former  period,  as  will  be  se<'n  more  cleai-!y  hernat'ter.  Aiid 
MaiOinethad  been  in  fh:i  habit  of  tradi'ig  to  E2;ypt,  Paiesnnp,  and 
Syria,  and  hn;l  bec! ne  well  acquaintfd  witli  Jews  and  Cliristians  of 
th''  E  t-it,  a';d  iiotirei!  the  lisvibittn^and  aniinositio-.  t!):jt  ra;,VuM!  -imoug 
t'le  C:!ri:,i!.<{i-<,  \\\  me  Esst.  at  th  t;  tune.  A:i;i,  thei-f/ivrt.-,  ironi  his 
(i\4'n  knuwleilge,  and  fi-nm  ih -  heip  .  r  o'-ic/s,  (i!;ir>i  ;n^  i^is  plan,  in 
hi-  rave,  f-r  iib..ii!t  two  yeirs,.  iio  f!;»  !-!,t  hsujs-  if  prepare-'  t;f  i.::o- 
fe-s  iijiosit  a  Prophet,  and  i):^u,in  Si)  |;!ii)iish  his  pro;.i::'Ci*^s  ;  w;dc!i 
w.i>  in  S'^e  4')Mi  ye^rof  his  ag^-,  a  id  the  Gi  I  th  '.t-ar  v'i  liu^  C  ris'inn 
er.j.  \:i  !,  irt.-.-wMd-,  Mn;>  u!t  .td.ied  newarticles.  av  occas-.m  >--h^  r- 
ed  to  retjU're.  un'i;  a'  ieir<!,tii  e  t'osr-pieted  IdsKirai.  Aa  ■  >!ns 
K.  i":,:i  ;ri,  tj  ■  'I ;  .' .  ■, .  b'i:ii  Ml '  ri^  '1  a  iii  ye;;^l:)us  iu  .V  ,.;  ';:o  '^\.-,'\•^■s>- 
eiauis,  and,  as  they  co.'j&idcrit  of  i). vine  authority,  tliey  cannot  re- 


»46 


iieal  it.  ihu,  in  fact,  it  is  not  mticli  bollLT  nor  averse  tluui  tiu'  ba 
Uii'-e  ;  i  ilie  coiTupti-!fis  orih'/  Eastern  Cuurch.  T'^J.ihuniet  ftdiuifted 
the  iJiviiic  authority  of  thoOUl  and  New  Teslamenta,  and  the  Di- 
vine mission  of"  Moses  and  of  Jes^us  Christ.  And  he  charged  Uie 
Jews  and  Chi  istians  vviih  r;sri-uptiiior  the  sacred  wri'iiigs  ;  and  pio- 
tt'P^en  tJKit  lie  was  ^eut  to  purge  thera  from  the  erroi-.s  fisat  had  crept 
into  fhe-ri.  And.  as  Miihometism  starfed  from  the  Eastern  Church, 
w'lose  head  was  in  Gunstantinnple  ;  so,  it  made  wonderful  progress 
tlirougluiut  the  Eastern  countries,  and,  at  length,  in  the  year  1453, 
settled  down  in  Constantinople,  when  that  city  was  taken  by  the 
Turk*,  and  then  it  became  the  head  of  the  Eastern  Apf)stacy,  from 
which  it  had,  at  first,  began,  and  continues  to  hold  that  place  until 
now. 

I  hope  it  will  appear,  now,  clear  enough  that  Mahometism  is 
only  a  prominent  part  of  the  Eastern  Apostacy,  which  took  place  at 
Constantinople  ;  and  that  this  Eastern  Apostacy,  including  Ma- 
hometism, is  the  little  horn  of  the  Macedonian  he-goat,  and 
king  of  fierce  countenance,  that  was  to  rise  and  stand  up  in  the 
latter  time  of  their  kingdom,  when  tlie  transgressors  should  be  come 
+0  their  full  ;  and  which  was  to  practise  and  prosper  1260  yeai?. 
A'-.d,  whereas  the  Western  Aoostacy  at  Rome,  and  the  Eastern 
Apostacy  at  Coiistantint>ple,  were  to  begin  at  the  same  time,  and 
both  to  continue  prosperous  for  12G()  years,  and  the  same  1260  years 
of  both,  end  at  the  same  time,  I  shall  include  the  beginning  and  end 
ol"  the  1260  years  of  both  these  Apostacies,  when  I  speak  of  the  rise 
or  fall  of  the  Beast.  Although  the  Beast  of  the  Revelations  more 
particularly  represents  the  Western  or  Roman  Apostacy. 

I  iiow  wish  to  make  a  few  observations  on  the  rise  of  the  Beast. 

According  to  the  fiiregoing  calculations,  the  Beast  arose  550 
prophetic  years  after  the  death  of  Chii-^t;  and  these  550  prophetic 
years  were  out  about  the  first  day  of  June,  in  the  year  571  of  the 
Ciiristian  era;  and  this  is  my  date  for  the  rise  of  the  Beast,  or  for 
the  beginning  of  the  l-Z'60  years  of  the  Beast's  prosperous  reign. 

I  am  aware  that  Mr.  Faber,  and  other  respectable  writers, 
thin!;  that  the  Beast  arose  in  the  year  606  of  the  Clinstian  era. 
liyvvever,  their  rea?;i;;)!:;  f.n-  it  do  oota.jpear  to  me  satisfactory.  Their 
opinion  for  the  Bv^ist  arising  in  th?  year  60G,  is  maioly  founded  on 
the  assf^rtion  of  Anaitasius  and  Paul  D -actni,  tliat,  on  that  year  G05, 
Boniface  the  3<1  obtained  t!;e  name.  LFnivi'rsai  iVishop,  from  P;)ocas, 
the  Eastern  Kmperor;  as  is  reiatttd  by  fVironius.  Abhoug:t  Baro- 
liius  i'.imsflf  sivs — ilr.it  l*:iocas,  by  a'l  [iopenal  Fi<iict,  oniy  con- 
Hrmed  tins  title,  lluiv.-i'sa'i,  whicii  k  c  13  >iaan  Bia'i'pin^d  before,  <ind 
wlmii  hi  I  b,-vM  a:i;i.a.)vlt!dged  by  M-iiirauii  :  and  t!uit  Pnocas  only 


347 

[t  is  t'liiticiiU,  now,  t.)  tell  whicii  i^  most  c;ii-i-ect.  Bii  <•  ippjse 
the  pfob.i'>iruv'  h.',  thit  B  )ait'.ice  obtiirvcd  the  naiiie.  JJnivc!-:s;ii,  from 
PIi:)Cn-5  tin  Enipot'Dr,  in  t!\^  ye.sr  606,  I'lat  o;ily  Ijclps  Id  prove  '•  i'u.t 
tUe  ab:)  i)i;iari:!n  i!i;it  iniki'i'u  dc-ul.r.e,"  sijoke;i  uf  In  P;!nitl  i;2.  11, 
sniij'it  have  br-iju  set  up  berofe  vJias  time,  and  wiiiTh  un^lu  iiave  l-et-i), 
even,  fro  n  ;he  time  t!ic  Bi^iiop  of  Constantinople  w.i-,  acknov/ledged 
bv  Ills  C'lircli,  to  have  ^i^re-iter  authoi-iiy-,  than  the  Il'S'ir.p  of  Ronie. 
F>''  T'luii'^l  \v:is  not  spadkin.v^  tvith  rnui'e  rel'ereiice  tn  ih-^?  We-'Cn 
An)st,;vv,  tiun  !.o  tSic  Eastern,  wi-iich  \v,vs  ;i  ctiniiiJcrubie 'iine  bet^^re 
l!;e  y-Mu  GOG. 

Mo-^liie?nc  siys.   tiiat  the    Kasteni    Birii-.ap    daclared    iiiinse'i' 
Univ./rsiil  Bi^hup,    hi  di.'.  year  5SS.  But  the  Mo. nan  Bishop  did    .■■■)l, 
ac'iiiowledge  iiis  chu.n,  but  !>j;posed  it.       Xnd,  lil    -o  i!i;Ii   !'!■.-:•    ;.    ;  an 
Bisnnp  did  not  •■n:\ke  sa  hi;;h  ,i  ciasm  .it  t'sni  ti  qe:  yat,  tiVis  '     c  had 
been  ofr"  icd  t.»  <:he  Ron  m  Bi^iiop.  even  s  »  f:irba.;:k  as  the  Council  of 
Cu-iicedoM,   winch  rjn  in    the  yetir  45i.    Not  with  the  same  degree 
of  pavver  he  afterwards  acquired.  i'.)i-  lie  arose  by  degrees.      And  so, 
the  EasternEinperors  cotnplnnenicd  their  Bi^'iijp  vvicii  tiie  s,i;uc  ti<le, 
a  consii'crable  while    befjro  he  deciared  hiinseU'  Universal  Bisliup, 
ill  the  yeor  533.     And,  aUh.ongl),    neither  of  liie   Bisho])?    publictv 
chiimed  liie   name,  UniversHi.    previous  to  tl'.e  year  .5Sy,    yet   they 
both  had  c.>!itended  for  t'ae  superioriiy  for  a   considerable  while  be- 
fore that  lime.       And  each  Uhurch  srerns  to  have  ac'cnowledged  the 
superiorii  V  of  her  o'.vn  Bishop,  in  sone    measure,  but,   perhaps,  not 
fully,  until  about  the  oe'^inning,  or  in  tiie  year  ;)7l.      And  when  v,"e 
reflect  that,  "he  tiiatletteth,"  or  letted,  or  hindered  the  appearance 
of  the  "man  of  sin,"  was  compietly  put  out  of  the  vvay,  on  tiie  year 
571  ;  we   s!ia!l  see  nothing  to  prevent  "tiie  abomination  that  maketh 
desolate,"  from    being  set  up,   as  early  as  that  year  571:  at   which 
time  it  appear ■»  to  nie,  to  tiave  been  set  up  in  the  East  and  West  both. 
The  Roman  Enipire  was  divided  into  its  ten  horns,  as  has  been 
already  shown;  and  two.  out  of  (he  three  horns,  which  were  to  fall 
be'ore  the  little  horn,  had  fallen  befoie  the  year  571. 

Three,  out  of  the  ten  horns — *'  the  Kingdom  of  the  lieruli  ■ 
the  Kingdom  of  the  Ostrogoths  ;  and  the  Kingdom  of  the  Lomba  , 
we.e  ri'iccessively  eradicated   before  the  Papal  little  horn."  o 

of  thesn   before  the  year  571;  and  one,  after   it,  in  the  ye      ,  r4, 
which  is  a  long  tiioe  after  Mr.    Faber's  date,  tiOS. 

1  iiave  already  said,  that  the  Roman  Empire  was  divided  in  the 
Vhar  oo4;  and  fh.e  Emperors  of  the  Western  Division  iield  Rco  •.  a^ 
their  seat  of  Government.  But  the  Eastern  Emperors  held  Constan 
tinvople  as  their  seat  of  Government. 

But,  in  the  year  476,  Odoacer,  King  of  the  Heruli,  pnt  an  end 


34-8 


to  tiic  YVs'Stern  Ei>i|tiie,ho  huvin-^  dcpo^ei!  Mi/inyllus  or  A;ij>;;i>liilu«, 
the  LCiiiperor,.  causvvj  :u:nself  to  b.,^.  uroclaiui.^u  Kn-.s;  oi  I  ,i'\ ,  \  ..', 
ill    the   your  493,  tiii>.  kirigi!i;ai   ol   tl:e  M-.-ra'i   \v?-  ,     v 

'I'hfodoric,  lv:ng  of  the  O.-a-ngoflis.  Am!,  in  tl;e  Near  ■)•..  t.^js 
lv!nii;do!"ii  of  the  Oitroi^olh.-i  was  eradicated  bv  rSars.es,  ihe  Lii;'i!f(-ti- 
tUil  ofjustinian,  the  E:i.»tern  Estiperer.  Ni;'.v.  two,  oiit  of  ll-.^'  three 
liorn?,  li.ul  fallen  botoie  ttu-  liule  luiin. 

Narses  was  CMgigeti  in  Mic  ^fnli-ment  (>('  Iia'y  under  ti      'Jtiv- 
ei'iinicnt  o!  the  Cnnstantinopsiiitan  ErnperorR,  from  tlie   v(  ■     ,354    [jo 
the  yearSoS.     AU  this  tiim^.  wiucli  was  ;ib  mf    14  yi-ar-,    Ji  <){  lutfy 
>vas  a  pv.orincc  of  t'le  C:);»Gtan;in(!po!ita;i  Etupire,  ihhI   wu-   •.  •.  ■•!-:ct! 
ed  L«y  an  imperial  officer,  who  bore  the  title  of  Esjiixh   oS    ii  .v.  )r?!a. 
B.iT,  nn  the  year  5()r,  Alboiri,  king  of  t!:e  L^);nt):;r(!s,    be^-.-n  to  lue- ' 
dii.iie  tt'.e  conquest  of  Italy  ;  rtrul,  ou  the  nexf  >\'i.r,  5(38,  '.v-'lu.utja 
battle  or  a  sieg<>,  he    became    laasttu-   of   Italy,   frr-m  ilie  TrfiUiiie 
H>ils  to  the  gates  of  Riivenna  and  Ro.ne.     Atid,   after  a  &i.  oo   of  5 
years  fr'itn  the  year  5^8,  Pavia  al-o  surrciKJored  in  A'bo  n.  ar.d  was 
made  the  Capitol  of  his  Kingdom,  whicn  was  in  the  year  571.     Tbe 
Exaic'wite  '.d  [l;.\e!!na  itself,  stdl  fetbly  -ub-^  s*::"l    nn!!ri,,f.  E:!^t- 
ein  Emperors,  and  was  gj)veitH!d  by  an  intpcriiil     fil,  e..    gg  i^.   trtir 
tinned  obove  ;  and  Rome  it.«elf  continued  a  po  sr   Dui-^lom.  tributa- 
ry to  the  E\'.rch  (d'  Raveiina  ;  while  the  Lf^mbards  liad  the  balance 
of  Italy,  until  they!ar752-   vvh.'n  Ai'-fulphns,  the  then  King  (;f  the 
Lndjards.  siibducd  Raveiina.  and  flien   Rome,*  consequeiitly,  with 
Ravenna,  fell  to  the  Lombards.     This  Lonbardic  barn  was  the  last 
of  the  three  horns,  wh.icb  were  to  fail   before  tiie   lii'le  horn  ;  but  it 
did  not  full  before  the  litrteborn,  until  in  the  ye;;  774      This  horn 
of  Lombardy  stood  in  the  wav  of  (h?  Be^*,st  coming  ro  !ii-    ^i'e....p<:^t 
b(M<rht,  but  not  in  tlie  way  of  his  first  app*;ar';nce.      Ir  was  only  the 
ancient  Roman  j-C.npl re  tha' letted,  or  hinderi-d  the  apnearanci:    of 
the  manofsin:anJ  it  h:ul  not  been '"omo'e'   i v  put  out  of  riie  w -v, 
Until  'he  y^ar  571,  and,  in  that  year,  it  was  fo!ly  put  out  of  the  way. 
Rut  he    ;ad  been  removins   out  of  the  wav  by  dejirees,  til    the 
time  fiout  theyeiir476.  when  Odoacrr,  the  Ki'^g  oi   fli*-  Ili-ruli.  de- 
posed Momvlius,  or  Au'just'dus.  the  hist   Em  .:  .  or  ';f  Rouj'        ¥<:i\ 
althoush  the  line  of  the  Italiijn  Ccsars  wa>  ended  in  the  tlf:vv!:f:!!:  of 
A"o;n-tulus,,  ye'  the  St-natf*  and  C.nsuls  continued,  which  ^u^  some 
let,  or  hindrance  to  ♦he  nan  of  sim. 

But,  in  the  year  566,  the  whoh'  form  (»f  theai'cient  Government 
was  *^ubverted  in  tbe  West,  and  liaiv  came  completely  unt'-i's  he 
imperin!  officer  mentioned  above,  v  ho  ha<'  jro^e-t.t^fi  Italy  irum  The 
year   554,  when   Narses  fust  conquered    the  Ostrogoths,  until   llie 

^  .^,   ♦  Or  at  laast  thej  laid  siege  to  Rome  at  Miat  tjme.. 


349 

■  1  5G8,  w'lan  Nurses  left  Italy.  So  that,  iVoivi  tlie  year  5G6  to 
tiie  year  568,  only  two.  years,  all  Italy  was  uikUt  tKe  Exarch  of  Ra- 
venna completely  ;  when  Aih 'in,  Kin'^  of  tiie  Lo  ubards,  who  had 
U')dpr  akeu  the  co.u|aest  in  the  year  567,  mad^  himself  master  of 
Italy,  from  the  Trentine  Hills  to  the  gales  of  Rivenna  and  Rome, 
in  t!ift  year  563  ;  leav>i)g  ni  the  Exarch  of  Rivenna  the  balance  of 
Italy  for  3  years  lot)o;er,  ufitil  hs  subdued  Pavia,  and  made  it  the 
C.ipito.l'of  his  Ivin.u;dom,  in  the  year  571,  from  which  time  the  balar.ce 
of  Italy,  under  the  name  of  Ravenna  and  Rome,  was  left  to  the  Ex- 
arcii,  until  the  y^ar  752,  at  which  tiir.e  Aistolphus,  the  then 
King  of  the  Lombards,  subdued  .both  Ravenna  aiid  Rome,  and  ad- 
ded both  to  tlie  Looibiirdic  dominions. 

Justinian  liie  Eastern  Eihpi-rur,  iiied  in  the  year  563  or  566, 
which  Ava^.  a  year  or  iwobef'^re  Alboin  began  t)is  subjugation  of  Ita- 
ly; which  rendered  Albnin's  cfinquest  of  Italy  ,%o  nau  ii  the  easier  ; 
and  all  the  ot;ier  Easiern  Emperors  that  reigned  after  Justinian,  were 
always  either  too  much  engagoi!  oth»M  wi?.e.  or  else  too  weak  to  re- 
take Ita.iy  from  the  Lombards,  until  at  k-ngth  the  Lombdrds  took 
Ro!ne  and  Ravenna  f.'om  them. 

But,  while  the  horn  of  Lombardy  stood  in  the  way  of  the  little 
lu)ra"com!ng  to  its  greatest  htdght,  on  one  side,  it  was,  on  the  other 
side,  an  advantage,  ratiser  than  a  disailvantage,  ihat  Romeand  Ra- 
venna continued  i'eebiy  to  subsist  under  ihe  Eastern  Emperors  as 
long  as  they  did.  For,  if  the  Pope  had  not  been  indnlgod  by  the 
Eastern  Emperors,  he  would  !i;;ve  added  Ravenna  and  Rome  to  the 
Lombards';  and,  if  he  he  had  not  been  indulged  by  tl^.e  Lombards, 
he  would  have  leagued  more  firmly  with  the  Eastern  Emperors,  in 
order  tn  wrest  the  balance  of  Italy  from  the  Lombards.  And  this 
will  appear  the  inore  reasonable,  when  we  reflect  that,  within  a  f^Vv' 
years  after  Ravenna  and  Rome  had  been  .added  to  the  king- 
dom of  the  Lombards,  in  the  year  TSU,  the  Pope  applied  to  Pe- 
pin, King  of  France,  and  afterwards  to  Charlemagne,  the  successor 
of  Pepin,  and  by  t!)em  the  horn  of  Lombardy  was  completely  eradi- 
cated in  the  year  774,  and  chiefly  bestowed  on  the  Pope  himsell,  ia 
about  2-2  years  after  Rome  and  Ravenna  had  been  added  to  the 
Looibards,  u"nder  Aistulphus,  in  the  year  752. 

Although  I  huve  said  above  that  Rome  and  Ravenna  were  added  t© 
the  L  imbards,  under  Aistulj)(uis,  in  the  year  752,  yet  I  do  no  meaa 
that  the  Looibanis  ever  held  Rome.  The  Lombards  laid  sieg*  to 
Rome  after  they  had  taken  Ravenna,  and  they  dispossess^^d  the  Es' 
arch  of  Ravenna,  the  imperial  offi  er  spoken  of  above,  who  had  gov 
erned  Ravenna,  and  to  whom  K.oniv'  had  been  tributary  ;  for,  vvhea 
the  Exarch  lust  Ravenna,  he  lost  Rome  aUn.  But  the  Leiubards 
Di> 


S50 

ucver  ubiainetl  the  real  dominion  over  Rome.  For,  after  ll:cExmcli 
was  (iisposstsseJ,  tliePupe  ot  R(,nie,  when  he  could  obtain  no  relief 
(Voiii  the  Kastern  Einpe.uis,  applied  to  Pepiu,  King  of  France,  and, 
afterwards,  to  Charlemagnf,  wliO  ended  the  Kingdoai  (if  the  Loin- 
bards,  and  conferred  Ravenna  and  Rome  on  the  Pope  hiinselT.  But 
I  must  state,  that  Stephen,  who  was  Pope  at  the  time  Aistulphus 
l.;id  si";j,e  to  Rome,  applied  in  vain  to  Copronymus,  the  Eastern  Em- 
peror, for  assistance.  But,  instead  of  granting  assistance  hini>eif, 
the  Emperor  employed  Stephen  to  tr^at  with  Aistulphus,  if  he  could  j 
bu'.if  he  could  ru)t,  to  address  himself  to  Pepin,  King  of  France. 
It  would  seem  that  Pope  Steplien  thought  tlie  Enipt-ror  Copronymus 
h;;(!,  Ill  some  mt^asure,  renounced  his  right  to  Ravenna  and  Rotne 
both.  Siepiien,  therefore,  seems  to  have  laid  claim  to  Rome  for 
himself,  as  she  was  not  fully  subdued  by  Aistulphus.  Bu;,  being 
unable  to  hold  it  himself,  Stephen  went  to  France,  and  created  Pe- 
i.in  and  his  sons  Patricians  ol  Rttme,  in  order  that  he  niijiht  hold 
il;mie  under  theUi,  and  also  obtain  tlieir  help  to  wrest  Ravenna  and 
i^eiitapolis  froni  the  Lombard?.  In  ail  of  which  he  succeeded,  and 
Pe[)in  coiiferred  all  upon  the  Pope,  about  the  year  755.  And,  in 
the  year  774,  Charlemagne  subdued  the  horn  of  Lombardy,  and  con- 
lirraod  what  Pepin  had  before  done  w  ith  regard  to  the  Pope.  1  his 
will  account  for  ilie  Pope  having  the  Governn;ent  of  Rome  at  that 
t^me,  774. 

Now,  according  to  the  calculation,  the  Beast  was  to  rise  in  the 
vear  571i.  And,  according  to  history,  every  let  and  hiucirance 
were  put  out  of  the  way  ;  and  t\ery  ihiog  ia\ourabie  to  his  rise, 
both  in  the  east,  and  in  the  west,  iiad  takei>  place,  against  that  time. 
TiiC  churches  at  Rom.e  and  Constantinople  were,  then,  the  only 
rival  Churches.  And  they  had,  for  some  time,  been  split,  and  each 
loaded  with  hnnou^r,  wealth,  and  power  j  and  were  comendiisg  for 
pre-eminence;  the  Bishop  of  each  ciiurch  taking  the  lead,  and  being 
supported  by  his  party,  in  every  measure,  no  matter  how  bas^-,  that 
vvas  tiiought  calculated  to  pr*  mote  their  grai:d  oljt^ci,  power.  And^ 
what  most  particularly  pievemed  the  Ristnan  Bishop,  was  put  out 
af  the  way,  when  tht'  ulxoh;  form  of  the  anciet-t  Rouian  govertiinent 
was  ovrrturned,  and  the  "^enaie  and  Consuls  uere  removeo,  m  the 
vear  566-  It  was  a  favourable  circumsiance  for  the  R^inan  Bishop, 
that  Alboin  took  Pavia.  and  made  it  lie  Cdj,ital  ot  his  Kii  goom 
in  the  yeir  571.  For,  th.en,  Popeiy  begaii  to  take  the  ascendency 
over  the  Kings  of  the  earth.  P.*  fore  this  time,  tli;  se  Bis^hops  were 
loo  ed  U|';in,  and  favoured,  .-i^  necessary  susjeets;  buf,  ii<v\,  ihe 
Kings  of  he  earth  btgaii  ti  ]  ok  tip  to  the  Popes,  as  .alvantageous 
(rieiuls.  oi- dangerous  enemies.     Ai;d,  in  this  iense,  thev  continued 


351 

(arise,  until  the  Bishops  of  Rome  exercised  ati  uncontrolled  doiui- 
nalidu  overall  ;he  west,  for  m;iny  centuries.  It  was  in  this  view  of 
the  subj'^'Ct,  that  the  bloody  Phocas,  Emperor  of  the  Constantinopo- 
l.itan  Empire,  conferred  the  name,  Universal,  on  the  Bishop  of  Rome, 
He  expected  to  strengthen  himself  in  his  usurped  dominions,  by 
that  piece  of  policy,  and  not  because  he  thought  the  Roman  Bishop 
had  a  better  right  to  it  than  the  Bishop  of  Constantinople.  !n  those 
times  of  endless  tumult,  revolution  and  blood,  Phocas  i.'eeded  .a 
frientl,  and  dreaded  an  enemy;  and  he  kn^w  thf^re  was  no  way  to 
gain  the  friendship  or  favor  of  (he  Roman  PontifFso  easily  as  to  flat- 
ter and  fan  Ins  pride  and  ambition. 

Mahomet  was  born  in  May^of  the  year  oTI .  in  Mecca,  a  city  oi:' 
Arabia;  Chosroes  theFir.s^  being;  King  of  Persici,  and  Justinian  ^he 
Second  being  then  Emperor  of  Constantinople.  Learning  had  sunk 
lO  a  low  degree  every  where,  and  ignorance  and  superstition  had  in- 
creased in  proportion  ;  the  Spirit  of  Christianity  had  almost  entire- 
ly left  both  the  Eastern  and  Western  Churches  ;  while  pri^'e,  am- 
bition, and  an  insatiable  thirst  for  wealth  and  power,  were  the  pre- 
dominan.t  passions  ,•  and  the  v^orld  was  like  a  troubled  ocean  cost 
ing  up  iuire  and  (iir<,  and  had  no  peace.  And.  out  of  thi->  IrniliSeil 
sea,  arose  the  ten  horns  that  have  been  named  above  j  aiuK  when  '.l>*'. 
transgressors  had  come  to  the  full,  the  two  little  horns  arose  in  the 
year  571. 

It  is  certainly  true  that  light  was  decreasing  and  nightwas  cod- 
ing on  rapidly  for  some  length  of  tinu-  before;  but,   froni   the  year 
571,  darkness  covered  the  earth,    and   gross  darkness,   the   people, 
for  many  centuries.     Aii  intelligent  writer  says — "To  trace  the 
his^;>ry  of  those  times,    is   like   making  a    progress  through  chaos, 
amidst  upper,  nether,  and  surrounding  darkness."     Constantinople 
was  more  fortunate  than  Rome.     The  extent  of  the  Constantinopofi- 
tan  Empiie  \v;is  variable.     Sometimes  it   was  very   extensive  ;  at 
otiier  limes  it  was  limiied  to  almost  nothing  but  the  city  itself.    But 
tlie  city  stood  untaken  and   unimpaired  throu^jh  all  the  wars  afsd  re- 
voluliijusof  the  (hirk  .iges,  until  it  was  first  taken  from    the  Eastern 
or  Gr-ek  Empeiors,  by  the  French  and  Venetians,  in  the  year  1203; 
but  it  was  afterwards  re-taken  by  tiie  Greeks  in  the  year    12.(4,  and 
reujained  the  seat  of  the  Greek  Empire,  until  it  was  taken  by  Maho- 
met the  Second,  oa  Whit  Sunday,  in  theyear  1453,  and  it  has  been 
the  sear  of  the  Turki.-,!i  Empire  ever  since.     As  I  have  said  already, 
M'diMU.'i  the 'Prophet,  was  born  in  the  ven.r  57\  :  and,    about    the 
40tn  year  of  his  ;ig^\  he  professed  lyimself  to  be  the  Prophet  of  God. 
And  Ins  prjphecics  were  well  adiipted  to  the  ignorance  and   corrup- 
tions uf  the  age  in  which  he  lived.     But  he  v/as  a  mUch  sveattv  \var 


352 

j-'iour  iliiit!  a  Prophft.  And  lie  sod  Iiis  successors  \v:  re  wonderfullj  ,. 
&U'  e  sfis]  in  ^  :ir  :  iind,  whfrever  tlieir  arms  coDquered,  Maiiomet- 
is  n  was  iiiaultd.  And,  in  a  very  sliort  time,  ail  the  Western  parts 
o'  \-ia,  the -NtH'tiVifrn  parts  of  Alrica.  and  the  Southern  parts  ot 
En  pe.  v/cre  ovfriuii  by  them  ;  and  their  wars  were  even  more  hor- 
rible and  bicody,  in  these  c<iuntr!e.-.,  than  the  wars  of  t!ie  G-jthsaiid 
Viiiul.jis  d'oMW  Rome  and  in  the  Western  Empire. 

Bsi  it  i\-<aid,  that  a -top  v;as  put  lo  the  progress  of  the  Maho- 
v.)  'ta  s  in  s'iuropi.',  fui- a  longtime,  by  Charles  Martel,  who  exercis- 
ed h'  snpieiK-  a^ithorify  in  Fraace,  iii  t'le  year '734,  Th.ese  Ma- 
li ;ne  tan -^  u'?rp  called  Saracens;  a'lsl  Mahometism  still  r.sged  in 
A-'  !  and  Africa  I5uf,  v.)  the  l;?t'i  century,  the  Tuikish  power 
arose  sod  made  lu-ad  ui  A>ia.  and  ternfied  all  F.urope;  and  these  Turks 
are  Muhonietaiis.  I'liese  'rui  ks  soon  extci'idefi  their  conqtis^ts  in  A-*ia 
and  Africa,  as  fur  as  ihe  cnnquL^sts  (d  tlie  Rcm-aiss  had  been  in  triose 
quartersof  the  worid.  Bat  Imurath,  the  Turkis'i  commander,  with 
a  larg  army,  crossed  the  Helle-pont,  and  invi-^ded  Europe;  and,, 
u  ;er  he  had  made  several  conquests,  he  fixed  his  seat  of  Govern- 
ment ;:t  Adiianoplc. 

Biijazet,  the  successor  of  Amuratii,  was  a  gr<'at  General,  and 
commanded  a  large  army  ;  he  had  determined  (;n  the  c(.-tiquest  uf 
the  Greek  Empire  and  tlie  capture  of  Constantinople.  And,  Iheic  is 
no  doubt  he  would  have  succeedcil,  if  he  had  not  b-en  prevented  by 
the  great  Tamerlane.  Bajazet,  the  haughty  Tuik,  had  beseigod 
Constantinople,  and  the  Emperor  of  that  city  sent  aiu!  obtained  the 
aid  of  Tamerlane,  that  mighty  Tartar-  Bijazt^t  and  Tamerlane 
fought  a  dreadful  and  memorable  battle,  on  v/oich  the  fate  of  Eu- 
jBope  depended.  Bajazet  was  defeated,  and  tlie  fateof  Constantino- 
ple was  prolonged  for  nearly  a  hundred  years  more.  When  tliat  city 
was  taken  by  Maiiometthe  Second,  i;i  the  year  14,53,  as  has  been 
already  said.  Aiul,  from  that  time  to  tliir,  Constaijtinople  has  been 
the  seat  of  the  Turkish  Government. 

The  civil  Government  ot  Constantinople,  under  the  Grecian 
Emperors,  althouiih  professedly  a  Ch.ristian  Goveinnir/.t,  wrs  al- 
ways as  hosii'o  in  o-lit-r  Christian  Onvernmenis,  as  it  '.vas  to  P,igiin 
Powers,  an;',  [perhaps,  more  yo.  And,  ir;  this  re-peci,  Consuntino- 
ple  has  not  been  muoli  wois:>,  il  an)',  sir.ce  it  has  been  the  soato!'  the 
Tuikish  Goveri'.oient,  than  it  was  beline. 

After  havinjr  SLtid  >-o:nethi!ix  about  tlie  civil  GovernuuMil  ui 
Gonstaniino'ple,  1  ui;l  nowiiuiice  a  few  more  observations  abcut  li-e 
Greek  Cimrc'i. 

Without  going  biri;  t(  an  oarl'er  pfM'iod,  Iwi'l  state  that  (he 
Council  of C-Jialcedon,  whi.h  -•  >.<  1m>N!    va  t':e  war  -55!,  nirrscd  th.a'. 


the  See  of  Constantinople  sliou Id  be  next  in  ccclcsiiijiical  hr.^ors  antl 
privileges  to  the  See  of  Rome. 

BiU  the  Bishop,  not  being  contented-  wilh  thi«.  nor  (:'VP'i  with 
ari  cqaalitv,  conteride;!  for  the  supremacy  :  and,  in  the  year  588, 
declared  himself  Universal  Ij:shop. ;  aod  was  ackntuvledged  so  I)y 
his  own  party,  including  the  Eastern  Emperors  ;  a  separation  having 
previously  taken  place  between  the  Greek  and  Roman  Churches, 
\vh;ch  has  continued  even  until  now.  A'ld  they  have  continued  ir- 
reconcileable  enemies  to  each  other  ever  since,  being  more  friendly 
to  Pigans  and  Mahometans  than  to  each  other.  And  tiie  Greelc 
Church  has  done  as  mueh  mischief  in  the  East,  as  the  Roman  Cl'.urcji 
has  done  in  tlie  West.  The  Greek- Church  is  of  v^ist  extent,  taking 
in  every  sect  in  the  Ea^^t.  But  I  will  only  name  the  Patriarchs  of 
Alexandria,  Antioch,  and  Jerusalem,  all  thee?  h^infi;  within  the 
bounds  of  the  Constantinopolitan  Empire,  and  tiie  Patriarc'.)  vA'  {\\:\\. 
city  being  acknowledged  firstin  point  of  dignity. 

Now,  it  tnightbe  made  a  question,  how  did  this  Church. gain 
and  continue  to  hold  such  a  mighty  standing  and  influence  in  tlie 
world,  when  it  never  was  possessed  of  civil  power,  as  the  Roman 
Church  was  ?  I  would  answer — "by  ilatf pries.''  Among  an  ig- 
norant, wicked,  priud.  hau;^hl:v,and  anibitio'is  people,  ilittery  has  an 
all-conquiri.-,o;  liiilaene;'.     Sf;^   Dan.    11.  ^21. 

The  little  horn  of  the  he  g')it,  or  '"king  of  derce  countenance.'' 
which  was  to  stand  up,  '*was  to  undei'stand  dark  sentences.  And 
his  power  was  to  be  mighty,  but  not  by  his  own  power."  Me  wo^' 
not  to  pas>^f^ss  the  civil  power.  Bar  •'  throu.gh  policy,  was  to  ca.use 
eraft  to  prosper  in  his  hand;"  and  he  was  to  niagnify  hiuiseif  in  liTs. 
heart,  and  bv  peace  (or  prosnerity)  he  was  to  destroy  many."  No- 
thing coul''  tit  betti'r  !h\n  this  fits  the  Greek  Church.  Mr.  Camp^- 
beU,  D.  D.,  in  his  lectures  on  ecclesiastical  history,  speaking  of 
the  Greek  Church,  says  — "  Hence  sprang  up  tl-.e  manv  flattering  ti- 
tles they  gave  to  their  S.iints  ;i!id  Cier2;y. "  "^The  same  mode  .,f 
adulation  they  introduced  u^fo  their  public  v/urship  ;  for, 'though  no 
terms  can  exceed,  or  i^v^n  eqiial,  the  majesty  and  perfections  of  tlio 
Supre  ne  Bdng,  the  pra.-tice of  l/rading  their  addresses  with  sucK 
epithefs,  b^-trayed  but  too  evidently  their  tendency  to  think  God 
sucii  a  one  as  thein'.elves.  to  b:  gained  bv  fair '^pet'ches  and  pom- 
pous ritles  ;  for  it  is  a  common  and  just  observation,  that  they  arc 
the  greatest  flatterers  w!io  love  most  to  he  ilatteree.'"  Psy  this  craff 
and  iiartery,  the  Greek  Church  constantly  secured  the  pov/rT  auiA 
protectiot!  of  the  civil  G.ivernuv.Mit,  and  countenanced  and  influeuG- 
ed  the  civil  Government,  in  all  it-s  politics,  no  matter  how  wicked, 
atid.in  all  its  wir?^,  no  matter  how  iMMiist,  so  that  their  r.hiQii  be  ac- 
DD  2      .  "  i    . 


'334 

c'otuplisheti.  And.  in  tiii.s  wa}',  its  power  brcamcmiglify  to  llo  nns 
ohicf,  and  it  misxnified  itself  in  its  heart,  and  cast  tlie  trutii  down  it 
the  <:r.)u:iil.  .ind  hardiMjed  its  front  in  terror,  idolatry,  and  every  abo- 
mination, and  stood  up  agaiiist  the  Prince  of  Princes,  and  practiset! 
and  pr(t>ppred  n^  efiectualiy  tssthe  Churcli  of  Rome  did.  Be  it  ic- 
memb-'red.  that,  undi^r  tlie  Greek  Ciiurch,  I  include  the  whole  East- 
ern Ap'.stacy,  with  Mrtliometism  as  a  part  of  it. 

Some  further  ob'-ervations  will  now  be  made  on  the  Church  of 
Rome.  I  have  siid  that  Auj>ustuliis  was  the  last  Roman  Emperor, 
and  thai  lie  was  deposed  by  Odoacer,  Kiiigof  the  Meruli,  in  (lie  year 
476,  and  that  the  Senate  and  Consuls  were  removed,  and  the  whole 
form  of  the  ancient  Government  overturned  in  the  year  566,  io 
Rone  and  Italy.  And  that  Pope  Stephen  obtained  the  civil  author- 
ity  over  Rome,  Rivenna,  and  some  otlier  places  from  Pepin.  King  of 
France, in  the  year  755;  and  had  it  confirmed,  in  the  year  774,  by 
Charlemaiir;: .  Now  the  Pope  continued  to  hold  these  places  for 
many  ages,  u;ider  tlse  name  of  Saint  Peter's  Patrimony.  But  Ste- 
phen had  cr^  a'ed  Pepin  and  his  sons  Patricians  of  Rwmc,  in  order 
that  he  niigl."  hold  his  government  under  their  protection. 

This  Patriciate  of  Pepin  was  the  seventh  head  of  the  seven- 
lieaded,  ten-horned  Beast;  and  this  seveati)  head  was  then  joined 
with  the  horn  of  France,  which  was  one  of  the  ten,  called  the 
Franks.  When  Augustulus,  the  Emperor  of  Rome,  was  deposed  by 
Odoacer,  one  of  the  beads  was  then  wounded  unto  death.  Bat,  in 
Ihe  case  of  Pepin,  tne  deidly  wound  was  healed  by  the  seventh 
head,  which  was  to  continue  but  a  siiort  space. 

"  And  the  Beast  that  was,  and  is  not,  even  he  is  the  eighttr, 
and  is  of  the  seven,  and  goeth  into  perdition." 

In  the  ye.ir  800.  the  Pope  crinvned  Charlemagne  Emperor  of 
the  Romans,  uttd  tue/i  the  Priiiarchate  merged  into  the  Emperor- 
ship,and  the  two  coiisiitued  -me  iiead.  wiiich  was  thi;  eighth,  and 
oftr.e  seventh,  and  is  con. nonij  called  the  Sept'ino-Octave  head  : 
and,  nn«'er  tliis  li.  ad,  the  Bfasr  was  to  go  ino  perdition. 

It  has  som.'iimes  !)refi  suggested  that  tSie  seven  heads  are  the 
seven  hills  or  m  >!intuii)>,  in  which  the  ancient  ciiy  of  R-mie  was 
bu  it.  But  I  ag<L",\  wi'h  others,  ngiit  to  the  contrary.  The  seven 
hills  or  mountains,  raiher  reprtse  .te*!  the  seven  heads  or  forms  ol 
G'.ve  iim-nt.  For  live  iia«l  fallen,  in  John's  ti  tu-,  and  one  was 
then  existiti'i,  and  iim.tier  w.is  uo'  then  citme,  T  is  could  not  have, 
been  suid  of  <iu' seven  hiils  on  wiiicn  tne  an/ient  city  was  said  to 
have  b: .     b  !ili. 

This  last  head  of  the  Beasr,  eontinu^^d  from  the  tio»e  ot  Charle- 
n3agn< .  Koioeviuie**  idi  one  urn  of  tl;e  Beast,  and,  SDinetiic  -.  witik 
anoiher,  unul  the  year  l&l4,oi  which  I  shall  say  more  hereafter 


'35-5- 

Rut  it  is  truly  wonderful  how  Popery  look  the  as.-eivleucy  ovci- 
the  Kings  of  the  eatth,  the  Popes  iiaving  bath  ,i  temporiil  and  spi 
ritual  dmiiinioii  ;  and  the  Kings  of  the  earth  giviai;  their  pO'.ver  to 
the  sujiprirt  of  Popery,  while  the  Bishop^  of  Rome  took  every  p'an 
they  conUl  to  incc.t'a^e  their  power,  until  they  exercised  an  uncon- 
trolled domina'ion  over  the  Vv'e^t,  for  many  centui-ie-;,  while  the 
pcopU'  v/ere  sunk  into  the  deepest  ignorance,  superstition,  and  idola- 
try, and  fit  tools  f;ir  every  ahouiination.  Thus,  Popery  is  represent- 
ed as  a  rider,  or  woaian  riding  the  seven-head-^  1,  ten-lHirned  Beast. 
This  -ame  Beast  is  n^presen^ed  in  Rev.  ii2.  3,  by  ''agrfat  red 
drao-(.K»,  havinjr  seven  herjds  and  ten  horn5,  and  seven  crowns  upon 
his  heads."  And  true  Cluisiianity,  or  the  true  Church,  is  represented 
by  a  woman  about  t(t  be  diVlivert-d  of  a  man  c'n.iid.  but  the  dragon. 
Vi'Hi'inu  to  (i('Vi)ur  tlio  ciiild  as  soon  as  it  should  be  burn,  the  man 
child,  "who  was  ioruie  all  nalioiis  with  a  rod  or  iron,  was  caught  up 
to  God,  and  to  his  throne  ;  while  the  wonaan  tied  into  the  wild.^r- 
ne:is,  for  i2'j(J  davs  or  years.  This  is  a  most  wonderful  and  friglit-' 
ful  I  eoresentation  of  the  opposition  of  the  powers  of  darkness  against 
true  Cliristianity. 

Heroti  the  Great  held  his  crown  under  the  authority  of  this 
seven-headed  teti-horned  Deast,  at  the  time  when  he' sent  out  to 
sliiy  all  the  nidle  children  wh.'n  he  heard  of  the  birth  of  Christ. 
And,  when  Christ  was  crucified,  Pilate  was  an  (sfiicer  under  this 
same  sevpti  headed,  ten-horned  Beast.-  And  it  was  this  same  seven- 
headed,  ten-horned  dr-agon,  that  cast  the  water  out  of  his  mouth  as 
a  flood,  to  carry  away  the  woman,  or  church  ;  but  he  did  not  suc- 
ceed in  drowning  her.  For,  she  will  yet  come  up  from  the  wilder- 
ness, looking  forth  as  the  morning,  fair  as  the  Mn:)n,  clear  as  the 
Sun.  and  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners.  B'lt  Iruly  she  was  to 
-Jiave  a  dark  and  lonesome  abofle  in  ihe  wilderness  for  i2G:)y!^ars. 

The  opening  of  the  seven  seals — Rev.  5.  1,  2 — rep^es^-n''".  tlie 
making  known  the  purpos-s  of  Go!  in  the  world,  pa'-Mciilarly  fr^ru 
tlu'  rise  of  the  Beast,  u  itil  theeoii  d' the  world.  In  the  first  vt^-se 
of  the  foregoing  chapter,  a  voi  e  sii'l  to  J  I'ln,  "Co'oe  up  .hither, 
and  I  will  shew  thee  things  which  mu-it  be  hereafter  "  S.'x  of  the  seals- 
contained  the  events  that  were  to  take  plac^-  by  the  time  the  1-260 
years  were  ended:  and  theseve  .<h  S'^al  contained  fvcnts  Irotn  that 
time  to  the  end  of  the  world.  T'  '•  silence  in  heaven  tor  the  space 
of  half  an  hour,"  that  took  pl^ce  at  the  opening  of  (h^  se  e  th  Si-a!, 
represents  that  the  even's  f  'he  *,"Vf-nth  s^-al  were  not  to  b  r"lat(*di 
or  written  for  a  short  time,  but  ;ha'  thi-y  shou'<l  bf  madi-  koown  af- 
ter a  little  while,  or  111  t-^.f^jr  if)r')"ef  place.  Foi-  ih<^-e  was  r.w^.r<^  '© 
%,said  yet  about  the  calamities  which  were  to  take  place  in  tael269 


years,  befare  the  events  of  tln^  sovonlh  sph)  '■liould  be  related. 
Wherefore,  the  sevt'.n  tru-npets — ilev.  8.  2 — -■(>t!n•■^  an  alann  to  the 
nations  of  the  earth,  an(I  gives  nonre  that  thostevems  were  Qdming 
in  their  proper //me  and  j9/«ce.  For  sur  of  the  tiinn|ieis,  th-^  (iine 
uas  ! 360  years;  and  tiie  places,  were  the  Etulern  B.ni\  IVesiern 
.^postacies  ',  snd,  at  the  end  of  the  1260  years,  ihe  seventh  irnmr^^ 
beg-ins  to  sound. 

Perhaps  I  ought,  here,  to  state,  that  heaven,  very  frequently 
means  the  church  ;  and  earth,  frequently,  in  the  Revelations,  meani 
tlie  civil  governmtnf.  And,  in  Rev.  8  5.  v-here  it  ^ays — "  The  arf- 
gel  took  the  censer,  an^!  filled  it  with  fire,  uf  the  altar,  and  cast  it  into 
the  eartii;  and  there  were  voices,  and  thuiiderinujs,  and  lightnings, 
and  an  earthquake;"  it  mean*,  that  Ciui-tianily  had  left  its  pro- 
per place  in  tlie  church,  and  fell  into  (he  civi'  ao'cernnient.  and  had 
become  tlie  instrument  of  pany  spirit  asui  party  politics,  in  their 
contentions,  intrigues,  wars,  and  revolutions.  Wh.erefore,  the  se- 
ven angels  prepared  themselves  to  sound  the  alarm.  Tlie  first  si* 
s.'ii tided  for  the  East  ard  IVesI  both,  to  the  end  ol  the  1260  year^ 
and  John  recoided  Uie  events  of  tiie  Eastern  Apostacy  first.  dowQ 
!o  the  end  of  tlie  1260  years,  in  Ri'veiafions.  8.  7,  to  the  last  of  the 
'X\\  chapter. 

But,  in  the  lOth  c';apier,  John  saw  another  inighfy  angel,  having 
in  his  hand  a  little  book  open;  and,  when  the  angel  cried  with  a  loud 
voice,  seveti  thunders  iiMered'their  voices.  And,  when  the  seveQ 
thun<!ers  liad  uttered  their  voices,  John  was  about  to  write,  and  to 
continue  on  the  history  of  evee.ts.  But  the  angel  h.eld  up  his  hand 
to  j'.eaven,  and  sware.  "  that  there  should  be  time  no  longer."  (or,, 
that  the  fi:i^e  is  not  yet;  this  i- the  stric'ly  correct  transLition  of 
l!;e  (i  ei'k.)  The  angel  declared  (hat  tlii-;  w.is  not  the  proper  time 
to  v.ri  e  what  ihe  seveti  tl.ur.ders  ut  teied  :  but  the  events  uttered 
by  the  seven  thunders,  belong  to  the  time  of  the  seventh  trumpet  ?" 
and,  w'len  the  se\enth  trumpet  begins  to  sound,  then  the  history  is 
to  be  con»inued  on.  Biit  J'hn  had,  ther^,  to  go  back  and  write  the 
contents  of  the  little  bodk  ;  the  writing  of  which  wouhl  be  short,  aisd 
sweet  like  lumey.  but  the  events  themselves  would  be  bitter.  Fur 
the  little  book  contained  the  events  of  the  Western  Apostacy,  to  the 
end  of  the  1260  years,  which  John  iiad  then  to  write,  and.  which  i« 
contained  in  Rev,   I  nh  chapter,  from  the  1st  to  the  l4ih  verse. 

And  now,  when  both  Apostacies  were  brought  up  to  the  end  of 
the  1260  years,  then  the  seventh  angel  sounded;  see  Revelations  11. 
15  :  and  inforn^s  u,  ti:at  the  time  was  come  for  tin  kingd<»ms  of  this 
world  0  be  given  to.  (u  b<'Come  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of 
his  Christ,  and  that  lie  shuuld  reign  for  ever  and  ever  j  tor  now  the 


357 

Saiiciuary  was  to  be  cleansed,  oi  wl.icli  I  will  sr;j  itnire  hi  its  pro- 
per jtlace. 

Then  Jolm  went  on  to  enUttiie  upon  and  explain  the  short  Insto- 
ry  of  the  little  book,  in  hi=  12th  and  1  oth  chapters  ;  which  chi'.ptets  [ 
liave  ia  s.)tne  nu-asure  noticed  befon'.  But,  in  his  14th  chapter,  and 
part  of  the  15th.  Jolm  goes  on  to  spi^ak  of  ovesits  that  were  to  take 
place  in  cleansing  the  Sanctuary,  aitt-r  the  1260  years  are  ended. 

But,  in'part  of  the  loth  chapter,  and  in  the  1 6th  c!)apte.r,  to  the- 
I6lh  verse,  Jolui  relates  events  that  were  to  take  place  in  the  East 
and  H'esi  both,  during  the  ]2G0  years.  For,  at.cording  to  the  8th 
verse  of  the  1 5!h  ci-.apter.  the  Temple  or  Sanctuapy  would  not  be 
cleansed  until  all  these  things  were  fulfilled.  Six  of  the  via's  of 
wrath  were  to  be  poured  out  on  the  E'antcrn  and  IVestera  divisions 
orEinpires,  named  above,  during  the  1260  years  :  But  the  seventh, 
afterwards. 

I  will  now  n^ake  a  few  remarks  on  the  fifth  and  sixth  vials 
only.  "  Tlie  fiffh  vial  was  poured  out  upon  the  seat  of  the  Beast  ; 
and  his  kingdom  was  full  of  darkness  ;  and  Ihey  gaawed  t'.i--di- 
tongUL's  for  pain  :  And  blasphemed  the  God  of  heaven  becau-i.  u? 
their  pains  and  their  sores,  and  repented  not  of  their  (leeds."  Tiie- 
se'it  of  the  BeaJrt  takes  in    Ro'iic,  fogedior  wi^h  tlie  balance   of  the 

''  The  t-ixih  aiig'l  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  great  river  Eu- 
pliratcs  ;  and  the  water  thereof  \vas\lricd  up,  that  the  way  of  the 
Ki'jgs  of  the  East  niigiitbc  prepared."  Euphrates  is  in  the  bounds  of 
i'dM  Eastern  Empire.  These  two  vials  seem  to  have  been  po.ured  out 
ab.)ut  the  same  time  ;  and,  as  they  are  the  fifth  and  sixth,  they  must 
have  been  poured  out  near  the  end  of  the  \-ZQi)  years.  The  one  in 
the  East,  was  designed  to  prepare  the  way  of  the  Kings  of  the  East, 
ofwliic!)  I  intend  to  speak  more  particularly,  hereafter.  But  ucr- 
haps  it  had  some  helping  inHaence  with  the  other  Vi^hiciv  was  p  )ured 
out  on  the  seat  of  the  Beast  in  the  tTcs!,  of  which  I  will  say  some- 
thing nmieinthis  place. 

If!  con-requence  of  these  two  vials  being  poured  out,Jo!in  "saw 
three  unclean  spirits,  like  frogs,  com^  out  oithe  mouth  of  tlie  dra- 
gon, and  out  of  the  moj(h  of  the  I'Msi:,  and  out  0="  the  inoutii  of  the 
false  Prophet."  The  dr.»g')n  inust  be  the  siiveii-iseaded,  ten-horned 
B  "US',  or  the  civil  Goveriiinent.  Tiie  Bi.-ast,  must  be  Uie  Beast  with 
two  iiorns  like  a  lanh,  but  -poke  a.^  n  diT.g  )•),  or  Popery.  The  fii-.c 
Pr  );>het.  mu^t  be  Mahomelism,  oi- the  Eisi^^r-i  Aposr.icy.  'Ti'.r^e 
Pi);rits  w.  re  the  "  ^^,pl^its  of  devds,  working  oiiracles,  wiivh.  go 
fi>rth  unto  tie  Vi'<np  of  the  earth,  and  o^  tne  whole  Vvori*  to  ■xdnii'r 
them  to  the  battle  oftlva;:  grcatd-iy  of ojd  Aimighly.     AuJ  ije  si- 


35ii 


Uiered  them  together  into  a  place  calletl  iti  the  Hebrew  tongue    Ar- 
magfddon. 

Thf  infidelity  and  athei^;in  which  spread  over  Europe  in  the 
IStli  cenldrv.  Mid  arlengtii  took  the  name  of  lUutniriism  and  Jacob- 
mir.m,  it'l  arosiMiut  of  the  Ecif fern  and  It'esttrn  Apnstacies  ;  and 
\v:!s  liHv  represeiitod  hv  UMclean  spirits  like  frogs,  going  forth 
to  th"  Kings  of  the  earth  and  of  the  uhu'e  world,  to  stir  them  up  to 
battle.  Nothing  could  appear  more  like  the  spirit  of  devils.  Any 
h(»ne>t  man  th^it  ha«,  or  will  bpconit^  acquainted  with  the  history  of' 
Jacobiriij:in,  must  feel  convinced  that  it  is  the  spiiitof  the  bottom- 
less pit.  And  it  spread  far  and  wide  ;  and,  in  the  year  1789,  it 
broke  out  in  the  Fiench  Revolution,  whif^h.  1  conceive,  was  the 
beginni'.gof  the  battle  of  Armageddon.  I  consider  this  battle  of 
Armageddon,  as  the  last  battle  of  the  Beast  ;  for  the  Beast  can- 
not be  supposed  to  fight  any  moi  e  after  he  was  slain. 

But  this  Arntajieddon  battle,  includes  all  the  bloodshed 
and  abominations  that  took  place  in  Europe,  from  the  beginning  o\ 
th.o  French  Revidution,  in  17H9.  until  the  fall  of  Bonaparte,  in  the 
year  IS14.  Althougli  the  1260  years  of  the  Beast's  prosperity  was 
out  in  1813. 

I  will  now  make  a  distinction  between  Anti-Christ  and  the  Beast. 
Anti-Christ  is  one  that  denies  the  Father  and  the  Son  both.  But 
Popery  never  piofessed  to  deny  either  the  Father  or  the  Son,  and, 
therefore,  it  is  not  correct  to  call  Popery,  Anti-Christ. 

But,  Daniel  1 1.  30 — 45,  says—  "  And  the  (or,  a)  King  b*iall 
doaccording  to  his  will,  and  he  shall  exalt  himself,  and  magnify 
himself  above '.'Very  God,  and  shall  speak  marvdlou.-*  things  against 
the  God  t  God^,  and  shall  prosper  till  the  indignation  be  accom- 
I'lisht  (I  ;  for  that  that  is  determined  shall  be  dot. e,"&c.  This  wick- 
ed or  wilful  king  represents  a  nation  professing  Atheism,  and  one 
which  was  to  prosper  until  the  indignation  should  be  accomplished, 

Revoiutionarv.  afheistic  France,  fills  this  desciiptioii  of  D  iniel 
woiidi  rliiliy.  L''ra:.ce  was  a  horn  <if  the  seven  h.eaded,  ten  hoiricd 
B'U-J  I  and  was  to  fall  when  that  Beast  vvoisld  fall. 

Revoliitionarv  France  estahli.Micd  A'h«-ism  l)y  law.  on  the  26th 
of  August,  17U:-  ;  and,  on  the  2rtii  of  '!ie  same  inotith,  it  was  iXt- 
iiid^:i\  that  tht*  ConvvMiiKm  should  be  a  C  'mmitlce  of  Insurrection 
again-tali  tii.  Kings  in  the  U  .iver«e  ;  ll'e  Kio;;  of  !I<-aven  not  ex- 
cepted. And,  on  riie  I'^vhofH  '•"u-)-''-.  -if  •  iie  samt^  ve «.-,  m  idier 
decree  w.i^.  jf'ss.  (I  fit  ■  x  fi'iing  di.  F'en  !•  syst^'Oi  par  fui  aUpit 
r?f'/'''*  (bv  ineans  lawful  of  un-a  \f'il)  t't  d.  couuii-i'-;  occupied  l)y 
tliet!-  armies.  \.;i,l  OM  (r.e  V7'-'\  d  ly  of  0<t'b  r,  ITD.),  all  external 
•si:in;;  of  rtlijiion  \V\'ro  ab'Jiiilsed  :  and   it    was  enacted   that    an   in- 


1 


359 

scrintl.)n  should  be  set  up  in  llie  pub'icbiu'ying  j^roimdi,  pUfp;)rUng 
that  *' D^atii  IS  biilj  ail  eternal  sleep/'  Now,  altliough  t^opery 
!uay  not  be  exiled  Aiiti-Ciirist  ;  yet  AiUi-Cht-ist  may  be  culled  the 
Beasf,  because  Fiance  'Vas  a   hi»rn  ot  lb'5  Bi'ast. 

Aad,  auy  tjiiag  lone  jy  a   .i.u-n   of  the    Beast,    was  douf    by 
the  B^ast.     Aul  t'nis  jjeast  n  „s  t)  si.sy  ihe   two  .virn  ■ss.-s,   "  whea 
ihey  sha'.i  have  liahhod  their  tesiimouy,"   (or,    ^v'mn  lu<-y  sh.dl  ije 
about  t;):ini^:i  t'aeir  tcsTiaiOjiy. )     Rt^v    11.7.      lh;ese  two  witness- 
es, are  i>apti  ■  a  and  the  ."supper,    o-  \-\^  L)  li  ind  Ne^v   reitamenis, 
or  tl>e  Churches  of   tiie  Oi.l  xiul    N'W    i\'SL.Mienrs.     For    the   two 
'.vitnesse-j  <irc  called   •' thi  two  jiive    tiiMis,    -md   tUe    two    can.;le_ 
stiCvs'^  st-inl  n.^  j:f  (10  •  iC  -i  !  1  of.  1 1  •  e  u-rh.     .\\ii    fiie  Ciiiicoii   i* 
■cUiied  the  Oiive    Tree   ;  see    li /n.    il.  IT  ;  aiid    a  -.  >,    ihe   can^ie- 
^;i:;ck!s.      ji;;v,  !.  ':iO.'     in  dejc^-n  )/r,    '.7di,  mc  r.vo  .vitnesses   '-.tTe 
sliin  ;   i".)r.  fV)  ;i  xhil  ti  ue,  no  ucri  i;  us    ¥  .hi  e   dared  to   m    ''on 
tic  nam  ofiio.i,  or  ■.ifOitrint,  ;)ut  w.'-i  ii  r-^Sjject  an.!  t>i  iitiij..*  ;  or, 
if  they  did,  they  w.-re  p-st  to  the  -.n  ->   ;Ueadfui  dev  ,.     The  C  ;<  ^y 
Vi^eri^  put  to  li'iith,   aii  w'l  lev  t  .jrjfes-is'd  Cui-.'S'iafiity  or  reii,-!,-)o^ 
was  put  to  t;e  -n  !s;  \ireulfu;  deat:\  :  un:il   T'ii-,   iiid    burciu-red  tvvo 
luillion-i  of  (Ju'ir  la'iabita.its,    aa-le-   t!\.!- ■    .\  ii 'i:?Uo    Iiw^,   ai^iiiust 
s.cn^  Uui'i  in  Pslarcu,  179:3  ;  w  uch  -.yas  aooul  Si  years  i'v  !:n  th  ■  hit- 
ter eu  i  .)f  S-or-iub/r,    179-'-.      In   tue  run  of  wIikJi  tnii.i,    they    !nd 
burnt  ali  the  BUjies  tucy  coul  1  ti  i  i,  arid    baibtrously  Outclier  a  all 
vh  .t  prufes-;e]  reliiio.i  in  Fcancii,  who  did  nit  br-l  ing;  to  th;.-  Jac  .biQ 
C  )a.ie.N:ijn,  (i-m-  siui  ufthd   Ja-oj!:i^,    professed  to    he   Catiio.'ic^ 
that  they  mi  g  tt  d.i  tiie  m.^re  iniscai'd  to  vvhat  they  c  lied  Cin-isjiaiu- 
?y.)  or -Jiat  did   notf.scjpe   to   other   rountries.      Ami,  a-  it  seems, 
after  they  thmght  tiiey  !iad   rnui-.lered  ad  th  it    or  d'ess.'d    re!;t>,i()n, 
and  all  that  tljeythaught  wo'jid  make  such  a  pr  d'-^sion,  t.;c  A  heist- 
ic  rulers  pisxed  a  Saw  giving  toleration  to  all   kinds  of  religion,    in 
March,  1796,  wh'ch  prevented  any   furfiier   rjutchery    of  .i:iy  other 
thataiioht.  thereafter,  profess  religioi,' while  Atheisn  wasas  <  e;illy 
promoted  odicrwise  as  it  ever  had  been.     So  that  thv;  wi'nesjcs  lay 
dead  in  a  street  of  the  Great  City  three  d.-.ys  and  a  lia'f.   or  three 
years  and  a  half  ;  f  >r  Franco  w.is  then   a   horn   of  the   Be.ist.    or   a 
street  of  the  Great  City.      Bu' di  se   witnes-.es  were   U'>' MiUfered  to 
be  buried;  but,  at  the  enil  of  the   S3;  years    diey  sio'id    up  again  and 
pr;>spered  m  ire  than  ever.      Bu  ,  tjr  t'l  it  three  year-  ai  I  a  half,  the 
French    r-'j  deed  over  the  n.  as  tiiotigh  t  ^ey  had  accouiplisiied   th:dr 
purpose  tofiieirgi  eat  sadsfaction  ;  yd  th    pe  ipe  of  other    ;ations, 
wh  »  saw  then)  li- if»  the  street,  wiutd  no?  suJler   ttiern  to  be  laid  in 
p-raves,  or  to  be  iorgoitcn  ;  hut    Mir  )ui';'-i  tMcir  inf!  ;e!:Ge.  the  Iiw  -ajs 
■passed  ^riMtiiig  tiie  tu'r-:     t  »ft  tiaoied    above,  uua   then  they  be-an 
■to  stand  on  their  feet  as^aiu,  • 


560 


■  After  tl/is,  when  Bonapiirtc  came  into  authority,  Ke  tonk  the 
Pv>;);'.'s  troops,  and  incorp;)i\it-o(l  theai  with  iiis  o'.vn  tr)  .';»>,  Ifavitig* 
the  Popj  of  R.inieonly  his  Spiritual  authority  ;  yet  B'snap  trie  m-itle 
a  iiawio  with  the  P.)pe,  in  wiiic'i  Bonaparte  agicefl  to  s^upnort  t'je 
Pojju's  ^"pfiitu^il  authority  by  his  temporal  authority  _:  uiid  the  Pope 
;)',';rceil  to  s')pp«)rt  Bjnaparto's  temporal  authority,  by  iils  spiritu^il 
auiivnrity.  And  they  continued  in"  this  league  until  tne  \'d\\  of  Bo- 
naparte. 

{t  lias  been. stated  before,  that  in  the  year  800,  CharleiTiagne 
was  made  Emperor  of  Rjtn?,  and  i!ie  Patricifitc  merged  into  ttie 
K'nnerorship,  and  the  two  c',>n5';itu!.ed  one  head,  called  the  Septimo- 
0'  tave  head,  under  which  t  i-.^  I'^east  «'as  t;)  >t;o  inti)  perdition.  Anil 
\hu  France  \va>«  a  horn  uf  the  B>  ast,  and  then  the  hist  head  was' 
iiiini  (1  wdii  one  of-  the  hoi'U'j.  i'nis  head,  afterwards,  passed  to 
Germany,  and  continui'd,  with  one  h-rn  tn  antcher,  everai'ter, 
U!iti!,  intheve-.r  18  S,  "Nipoleon  Bjitaparie  took  ir  from  the  Em- 
peror of  AuTitiia;  aid,  ihen.  this  last  head  vvasjiiiied  witii  the  horn 
of  Fi.iH'  e  again  ;  and  continued  so,  until  the  fall  of  Bonaparte,  in 
the  Year  1814. 

It  has  i)e-'ori-;hf  satisficiorily  shewn,  by  some  good  and  able 
writt^r-.,  tiiit  France  was  t^'.e  only  I'enrtining  horn  of  t'le  ten  ,•  and, 
conseque^'tly,  the  only  roin-iiniiig  tenth  pari  yf  the  Great  City,  that 
vva'<  to  fall  ;  the  other  nine  horns  iiavingbeen  previously  broken  oft'. 
But,  even  if  there  had  b./e;i  uoie  than  oie  horn  still  standing,  yet  it' 
IS  p'am,  that,  vvnen  the  last  head  of  the  Beast  falls,  all  the  horns 
there  are  yet  on  th:*  Beast,  falls  with  it. 

Now,  after  shewing  h.ow  tiie  last  head  of  the  B 'a-;t  was  joined 
with  the  horn  r.f  France,  and  how  Popery  was  supportetl,  at  the 
tiuie,  by  the  civil  power  under  Booa parte,  [  ■■vdl  (uention  th'^  par- 
ties, on  b)th  sides,  that  figtit  tin.-,  tri'uiendou?  battle.  This  Arma- 
geddon b.iitle,  is  called  tlie  "  Battle  of  tlie  Great  Day  of  G;tv!  At- 
oiighty. "  Oil  one  side,*  is  Lhe  Kino-  of  Kings  and  Lord  of  Lords. 
And  the  armies  which  are  in  heaven  followed  hun  upon  white  horses, 
clotned  in  fine  linen,  white  atid  clean.    Rev,  19.  14 — 16. 

On  the  other  side,  were  the  Beast  and  the  false  Prophet,  Rev. 
19.  20.  This  ttlse  Proph:-t,  that  wrought  mirudes  bidore  tiie  B-l^t, 
is  Popery  ;  and  i'S  the  same  with  the  Beast  thai  had  two  horns  like 
a  lam.*),  but  spake  as  a  diagon.  Rev.  lo.  It  — 18.  Although  the 
false  Proptiet  of  thi-  Eastern  Apostacy.  had  some  hand  in  sending 
out  the  unclean  spirits  tike  frogs,  yet  he  was  not  ro  hive  any  parli- 
ticular  liaod  in  fighting  this  battle.  Th-  Eastern  .\postacy  was  t© 
"be  broken  wi  hout  liands."     Danl.  8.  25. 

In  Rev.  12.  7,  8,  the  parties  in  this  battle  are  thus  represent- 


•361 

lid  :  '•■  And  there  was. war  in  heaven  ;  Micliacl  and  his  angels 
fought  against  the  dragon  ;  and  the  dragon  fought  and  his  angeij;,dnd 
prevailed  not;  neither  was  their  place  found  any  more  in  heaven*" 
And,  in  Rev.  19.  20 — ■' The  Beast  was  taken,  and  with  him  the 
false  I'ropiiet  that  wrought  miracles  before  him,  witu  winch  he  de- 
ceived thetn  that  had  received  the  mark  of  the  Beasr,  a  »d  them  that 
worshipped  his  image.  These  both  were  cast  alive  into  a  lake  of  fire, 
burning  with  brimstone."  These  two  being  icagued  together  on 
one  side,  were  to  fall  together.  This  exactly  fits  the  circumstances 
ot  the  cuse  under  Bonaparte.  The  last  head  of  the  seven-headed, 
ten-horued  Beast,  was  joined  with  the  horn  of  France  ;  and  Bona- 
parte and.  the  Pope  leagued  together,  and  the  civil  power  of  the 
French  Government  and  Popery,ple(lged  to  support  eac!i  other.  Con- 
sequently, when  the  civil  power  of  tlie  Fiencli  Government,  under 
Ndpoleon  Bonaparte,  was  overturned  in  the  year,  1814,  Popery, 
having  lost  its  governmental  support,  fell  with  it.  And,  so  !ar,  was 
fulfilled  the  prophecy  of  Daniel,  7.  11  :  '*  I  beheld  then  because  of 
the  voice  of  the  great  words  which  the  horn  spake:  I  beheld  even 
iill  th.e  Beast  was  slain,  and  liis  body  destroyed  and  give;)  to  the' 
btirning  flame."  And,  also,  the  prophecy  of  John  ;  llev.  17.  l6, 
17  ;  '"  And  ihe  ten  horns  whicii  tliou  sawest  upon  the  Beast,  these 
shall  hate  the  whore,  arid  shall  make  her  desolate  and  naked,  and 
shall  eat  her  flesh,  and  burn  her  with  fire.  For  God  hath  put  in 
their-hearts  to  fuliil  his  will,  aird  <o  agree,  and  give  their  kingdom 
unto  the  Beast,  until  the  words  of  God  shall  be  fultilled." 

The  seven-headed,  ten-horned  Btast,  represented  the  civil 
Government  of  Rotue.  And,  from  the  time  John  saw  it  come  up 
out  of  the  sea,  chap.  13,  verse  1,  it  was  to  continue  1260  prophetic 
years  under  its  last  head,  which  was  the  Cic.rluviniLian,  or  Septimo- 
Octave  head,  and  it  was  a  wicked  Got'ernment,  having  "upon  its 
heads  the  name  of  blaspherav." 

But  the  other  ''Beast,  which  came  up  out  of  the  earth,  having 
two  horns  like  a  lamb,  and  spake  as  a'  dr>!P(,r;,  rt-pr'->,er>ted  Popery. 
And  it  exercised  all  the  power  of  the  firtt  Beast,  or  civil  Govtrn- 
ment.  And  it  deceived  them  that  dweu  on  the  earth,  or  in  the 
bounds  of  the  civil- government,  by  mtaos  of  the  miracles  (or  siyns) 
which  it  had  power  tu  do  (or  which  v,  e-e  given  to  it  to  do)  in  the  sijrhr  of 
the  Beast,  or  civil  Government  ;  saying  to  then,  that  dwell  or  the 
earth,  (or,  in  the  bounds  of  the  civil  Government,)  that  they  should 
make  an  image  to  the  Beast  which  had  \' ^  v.oimd  by  a  sword,  and 
did  live,  (or  the  civil  Government.)  Aisd  he  had  power  (cr  i:  was 
given  to  him)  to  give  life  (or  spirit]  unto  the  m  age  of  the  Beast,  that 
the  image  of  the  Beast  she  u!c  both    m  s  i  i     . ,  i   -  i\    ^ 


362 


as  -.viulil  tioi  worship  the  imageof  the  Beast  should  be  killed.  And  he 
caused  all,  bo;h  small  and  great,  rich  and  poor,  free  and  bond,  to  re- 
ceive a  mark  in  their  right  hand,  or  in  their  foreheads  :  and  that  no 
man  might  buy  or  sell,  save  he  that  had  tiie  mark,  or  the  name  of 
(he  Beist,  or  tiie  number  of  his  name.  Here  is  wisdom.  Let  him 
ihathath  undiMstaudiug  count  the  number  of  the  Beast  :  tor  it  is 
tlie  nuinber  of  a  man  ;  and  his  number  issix  hundred  three  score  and 
six."     Sco   Rev.  13th  chapter. 

Tiie  Roman  Catholic  ecclesiastical  Government,  was  the  iii:a2;e 
of  the  Btast,  or  of  the  Roman  civil  Government.  The  Popish  Ili  r- 
archy  was  modelled  after  the  form  of  the  Imperial  Governmert  ot  Rcme 
from  t!»e  P.ipe  down  through  all  the  different  degrees  of  Priesti:.t>d, 
iiTiitating  the  Eioperor  and  all  the  subordinate  officers  ;  andc'iaimed 
it  ail  as  (if  Divine  authority;  and  the  civil  powers  gave  to,  or  allow- 
ed, the  Popish  authorities  to  cause  all,  of  all  ranks  and  degrees  of 
t;\e  peoph',  to  worship  the  image,  or  to  acknowledge  tlie  Divine  au- 
t  ■,  ;:  ity  o!  Popery,  or  else  be  put  to  death. 

Neither  could  they  buy  or  sell,  unless  they  bad  a  mark,  or  the 
ha  n  ;  of  the  Beast,  or  the  number  of  his  name. 

riio  sign  of  the  Cross  is  thought  to  be  the  mark. 

The  name  is  thought  to  be  Lateinos,  which  is  said  to  be  the  an- 
cient Greek  orthography  ot  the  word  or  name  of  Latinos,  from  whom 
the  people  of  Italy  took  the  name  of  Latins  :  as,  afterwards,  lUey 
took  the  name  of  Ro;nans,  from  Romulus.  And  it  is  a  striking  cir- 
c«i£:stance,  that  the  name  Lateinos,  contains  the  numbej-  6^6. 
Tiius — • 


f 


L  stands  for  50 


A 

r 

E 

I 

LATEINOS  ^    N 
0 

S 


1 

300 

5 

10 

50    ^LATEINO.S. 
70 
200 

666 


This  has  been  sh(;wn  by  a  numbei  of  writers. 

A  question,  here,  might  be  proposed  :  Tiie  ten  horns  were 
to  hate  the  whoif,  and  it  was  because  of  the  voice  of  the 
ore  It  words  which  !;•>  horn  spake,  that  the  Be;-st  was  to  be  slain  , 
anO.  from  the  purtie-'  -ngaged  in  the  battle,  it  would  seem  tnat  the 
wiv  sbaukl  have  b-H'-i  waged  and  carried  on  aiicai'isi  Po.  ery  itself. 
P,u!  the  w:u-in  which  Bonaparte  fell,  and   the  French    Governmeot 


was  overturned,  in  1814,  was  carried  on  agiiii-ist  the  civil  Govitn- 
ment  of  Frtiijce.  and  notasuinst  Popei-y  directly.  But  it  appeared 
to  b.-*  one  civil  Government,  or  power,  against  another  ;  and  did 
not  :ippear  to  be. a  conflict  bet  veen  Christianity  and  the  powers  of 
darkness.  How,  then,  could  the  overthrow  of  the  French  Govern- 
ment, in  1814,  be  the  fall  of  tlie  Beast  ? 

I  answer,  the  Armageddon  battle  is  a  di'iTcreut  thing  from  one, 
single  c(»nflict  between  armies,  called  a  btittle.  The  Armageddon 
battle,  takes  in  all  the  wars,  and  conflicts,  and  I'evolutions,  and  abo- 
minations, and  calamities,  in  all  Europe,  or  particularly  wiihin  the 
bounds  of  the  heads  and  horns  of  the  Beast,  from  the  beginning  of 
the  French  Revolution,  in  1789,  until  the  fall  of  Bonaparte,  in 
1814.  ■      . 

Now,  during  this  period,  there  was  the  most  astonishing  mora'  con- 
flict between  truth  and  felsehood,  between  Christianity  and  the  powers 
of  darkness,  that  the  wurld  ever  knew.  But  in  the  end,  Christian- 
ity come  out  tiiumphant.  What  means  the  Atheism  and  Atheisti-C 
laws  of  Revolutionary  France  ^  and'what  laeans  the  two  uiiilirrv, 
of  in'iabitants  butcr.ered  under  those  laws?  What  means  tlie  sl'.y 
n  g  of  the  f^vo  vvitnC'^ses,  and  tlieir  resurrection  and  ascension  iuso 
heaven  ?  But  the  Divine  Commander,  in  his  iniinite  wisdoui  atnl 
justice,  intended  to  scourge  and  overturn  the  p^owers  of  darkness; 
wherefore,  he  sent  one  wicked  nation  against  another  for  a  scourge 
to  one  another  ;  and,  in  the  end,  to  €o'tnbine  sufficiently  &tiong  to 
overturn  the  Beast,  or  the  civil  power  that  supported  Popcrj,  and 
the::  Popery  was  certain  to  fall  also.  And,  in  this  %\ ay,  t!ie  v(  rj 
kingdoms  that  once  supported  Popery,  and  were  still  supptirtiisg  her, 
altliough  they  now  hated  her,  were  made  tlie  instruments,  in  the  Di- 
vine hand,  fur  her  most  certain  overthrow.  Alihough,  at  that  time, 
perhaps,  they  did  not  know  it,  and,  perhaps,  they  do  nol  utidec- 
stand  yet  how  much  they  really  had  done.  This  battle  was  to  be 
the  last  battle  of  (he  Beasr,  and  in  which  the  Beast  was  to  be  slain. 
The  Bt-ast  w;is  to  practise  and  prosper  12G0 years  ;  and,  then,  with- 
in one  year  more,  he  was  to  be  slain.  To  slay  ihf  Beast,  is  to  take 
avvay  his  governmental  power  to  be  beastly.  The  fall  of  Popery 
consisted  iu  its  loss  of  tha^  g'iver.nmentai  power  which  it  derivi^d 
fro^n  tlie  seven-heath-d,  ten.  Iiomed  lleastj  and  the  fill  of  the  seven- 
headed,  teri-horned  Beast,  consisted  in  its  loss  of  th;it  government- 
al power  by  which  it  aas  enab'ed  to  support  Popery  ia  a  govcrn- 
metital  mannei.  When  the  L^'reuth  G' vernment  was  oveitumed 
in  1814,  '■'  libt-rty  <if  conscience  was  guarantied"  by  the  new  Con- 
stitution. Afier  that,  neithr' Popery,  nor  the  sevendieaded,  ten- 
hornei  B  ast,  cou'd  fij;ht  any  longer,  or  do  any  more  mischief  in  a 
governmental  way..     And  yet  both  the  Pope  and  the  people  conti- 


S64 

wued  as  wicked  aa  ever,  "  and  repented  not  of  theif  deeds  ;"  bu^^ 
after  this  fall  ot  iJabylon,  they  became  "  a  liabitation  of  devils,  and 
the  ho  e  of  every  foul  spirit,  and  a  cage  o!  every  unclean  and  hate- 
ful bird." 

Armagediion,  signifies  the  mountain  of  Megiddo,  or  the  moun- 
tain of  Him  that  declares,  or  the  mountain  of  the  Gospel,  or  the 
mountain  of  fruits,  or  of  spoils.  It  was  in  the  bounds  of  the  ten- 
horned  Beast.  The  moral  conflict  was  vastly  greater,  and  the  vic- 
tory of  truth  much  more  signal,  than  the  conflict  and  victory  at  the 
waters  of  Megiddo.  See  Judges  5.  19.  But  yet  there  was  great 
need  for  cleansing  the  Sanctuary,  which  subject  shall  be  noticed 
hereafter. 

Now  the  second  woe  was  past.  The  first  woe  was  felt  by  the 
Eastern  Apostacy,  and  the  second,  woe  was  felt  by  the  Western 
Aposticy  ;  and  it  belonged  to  the  period  of  the  Armageddon  battle, 
and  was  past  when  the  Beast  fell. 

iVat  the  seventh  seal,  the  seventh  trumpet,  the  seventh  vial,  and 
the  third  woe,  all  take  place  after  the  fall  of  the  Beast,  and  will  be 
i:u'l'.  ed  hereafter. 

'VU-i  Beast's  reign  was  to  be  prosperous  for  1260  years,  and 
then,  in  one  year  more,  the  Beast  was  to  be  overthrown.  Accord- 
ing to  ihe  calculation,  the  1£60  years  were  ended  on  the  20ti. 
day  of  Aprd.in  t1ie»year  1813;  and  the  one  prophetic  year  more,  was 
out  on  the   15th  dayof  Apiil,  1814. 

la  the  years  iSil  and  1812,  the  writer  made  the  calculation, 
and  applied  it  to  the  French  Government  at  that  time.  Let  us  now 
see  how  facts  that  have  taken  place  since,  agree  with  the  calcula- 
tion. 

Robitisnn's  History  sayi=— "  On  the  24th  of  June,  1812,  Napo- 
leon, with  his  f;)!-ai'iduble  ;irmy  of  400.000  eflective  men,  passed  the 
Nieoien,  Ji'id  esitered  tiie  Rus>ian  territory."  And  Gritushaw  says, 
•'•  On  the  J9thoi  October,18l2,  Napoleon  left  Moscow,  tliat  scene 
ofdegaSatiuri."  Aid.  in  the  middle  of  April,  1813,  he  departed  for 
his  army  or  ;?50.000,  to  meet  the  Allied  armies  coming  against 
France,  as  if  France  had  not  felt  the  R.issian  disaster.  And  on  the 
iGth  of  October,  1815,  he  (ought  the  battle  of  Leipzic,  uiid  was  de- 
lea  led. 

'•  Oil  llie  14th  of  January,  1814,  Napoleon,  bofure  the  Con- 
servative Senate,  remarked,  '  All  Europe  was  with  us  a  year  agu  : 
;i.li  Europe  is  now  against  us.'  We  should  have  every  living  to 
dread,  but  fur  theeuergy  and  power  of  the  nation.  Po-fcrity  wi.l 
i-ay,  ihat,  if  great  and  crilical  circumstances  presented  then.^clves, 
they  were  not  superior  to  France  anil  me.''*  

*'See  V.'elplej's  Comp. 


i 


365 

At  t'ii:i  time,  Griinshaw  says,  that,  '•  300.000  consci-ipfs  wer-j 
riiiso;!,  and,  on  the  25th  of  the  saai<^  J.inuai-y,  1814,  Riinanarte  lel'L 
Pa:is  forhis  army  ;  which  still  siifFerel  a  reveise  of  firtuao  cor.ii- 
nuallj. 

'''  And,  on  the  1st  of  April,  1814,  a  French  Senate  assesnbled 
and  declared.  Napoleon  bad  forfeited  his  crown.  And,  on  the  4tli 
of  the  said  April,  1814,  he  abdicated  his  crown.  .And,  on  the  !  lili 
ftf  the  said  April,  1814,  a  treaty  was  signed  at  Paris,  by  Ncv  and 
Caulaincourt,  on  the  part  of  Bonaparte,  and  Commissioners  ap- 
pointed on  the  part  of  the  Allied  Powers." 

Also,  ui-isett's  ilistory  of  George  the  Third,  say^  —  '*  On  the 
4th  of  \])ril,  (1814.)  Bonapai'tc  abdicated,  for  h.iir.self  nud  heirs., 
the  thron.es  of  France  and  Italy."  '•  And  that  a  treaty  was  &ig;;ie!:i 
of  fh>  lltji,  t)Y  Vm  Milliters  of  flassia,  Prussij,  Au-.tri;!,  an;l  by 
N-?y'and  Caulaincourt.*' 

And  Griinshaw  snys,  that,  "on  the  13th  of  May,  1814,  a  gene- 
ral peace  was  signed  bj  all  the  Allied  Powers.  And,  oo  the  20tij 
of  May,  Bo.iapartc  took  shipping,  and  started  for  the  liland  of 
Elba." 

Nov,',  I  would  reniarkj  that,  accGrdin;;  to  the  calculations,  tiio 
B.MSt's  rtign  of  prospei  ity  was  out  on  the  £0!h  of  April,  1813.  And, 
'within  one  pr;>phetic  year  more,  her  plagues  were  to  co:ne.  Thi>; 
p:ophetic  year  was  out  on  tiie  iStl.  of  April,  1814. 

Within  this  one  year,  a'!  the  plaqjues  came,  and  tiie  Krerich 
Government  was  revolutionized.  For  the  Powers  of  Europe  i  afl 
just  combined  aud  v/cre  coming  against  France,  and  Napideon  Bo- 
naparte, in  the  middle  of  April,  1813,  dcpartfd  for  his  arrny 
of  three  hundred  and  iifry  th<i!iS5nd  meri,  to  meet  (he  Allied 
arniies  coming  .igiinst  him.  And  on  the  llfh  of  Apii',  1SI4. 
the  tre^ity  was  sij^ned.  On  the  fourteenth  of  January,  1814, 
only  three  months  b.'fore  the  yeir  was  out.  Bonaparte  said — '»  All 
E'jrope  was  with  us  a  year  ago  :  all  E  iropei  is  now  against  us." 

This  must  have  been  a  year  of  "  confused  noise,  and  g;irm"i!^s 
lollcJ  in  b'.ooii."  For,  many  battles  were  fought,  after  th.-  'iOfh  ci 
April,  with  doubtful  success,  in  the  course  of  the  Sunim /r.  pr.  v-,,  us  ■ 
to  rhe  great  battle  of  Leipzic,  which  decided  the  fate  of  Na;jo!vo;;„ 
of  France,  and  of  Kurope.  And  here,  in  this  siup.^ndoijs  iiiil!!.:rv 
scene,  v/ere  exliibited  the  binners  of  contending  nation.^,  froai  th--^; 
Atlantic  Ocean  to  the  Caspim  S-'a.  Aad  here  were  the  'uiih' v  e  i- 
ergies  of  nearly  500,000  co-.noatants,  displayed  i;i  tremen-lMU^  cH'or^.. 
The  contest  was  despf^rate,  and  ti.e  carnage  dreadful.  Biilthis  dwl 
nor  end  the  plagues  of  tins  year.  For,  after  this  battle  of  L^'ipzu- . 
Naoo.eo!),  witli  the  shattered  reiiiiins  ef  hts  army.,  made  a  nr  •'• 'jV 
EE2 


la;.'  letrc.ii  int.;- 1m an. -0.  And,  un  the  l-itii  of  January,  181-1,  sai.^ 
t;!  the  S^iuilc — >»  All  Europi*  \v\!.<  \\\{U  us  a  year  sga  :  a'l  Sv!i-<(j»e  is 
Ji  r,v  a;i;iiKf  '■iS.".  At  ihnr  t:;iie,  3;;0,'}()()  lu'eii  were  i-&i?('cl  .  for  the 
u  eicnt  e.  of  tiio  ti.itiou  ;  asn!,  o!i  the  S5th  of  the  same  mouth,  Bor.o,- 
j):jrte  It'ft  P.iii.i  ior  this  a,  ir.v.  F.vt-ry  plan  \v;h  formed  tiiar  great 
iiiiiitiiry  uik-ntd  couM  ilevise.  ami  evsii-y  flVort  was  put  fort!i  that  he-* 
rc.isin  could  (.-xert,  to  pre.vetit  the  progress  oft'iie  iillie;!  armies,  and 
to  preserve  tiiC  Goveninient  .:  liut  it  uas  all  to  no  purpisse.  For  th.e 
Allied  Sovereigns  li-id  met  at  Frankfurt,  and  had  ii^^ued  a  declara- 
tloii,  thiit  iiiey  would  liever  uiV  'A.nwn  their  arms  until' (h.e  political 
state)!'  til  irip:;  s';i;)'jid  <)*,  re-e.stabliahed.  And,  in  this  resolu- 
tion, llu'y  persevered  with  so  inucli  firmness,  ptnvcr,  ^hiil,  luui 
ijiavny,  that,  nolwithstandiny;  the  coritesl  was,  fur  some  time,  ex- 
treii;eiy  doubtful,  yet  finally,  all  Bonaparte's  deep  laid  plar.s  anvl 
i;iiii;hty  uiilif.iry  etfort",  proved  ahtirtive.  For,  before  tiie  end  of 
tu'bioaiy,  t:,e  Allied  armies  arrived  ia  sight  of  Paris.  Arul,  on  the 
SOt!i  ol  >,1. .;'.';,  Juseph  BonapartP,  a^.si?i!sd  by  Marshals  Marmont 
and  Morti'.i,  took  a  position  on  the  h;'ights  near  the  city,  in  a  long 
line,  tlie  eea  re  of  which  wa^  protected  by  several  redoubts  and  150 
pieces  of  Cannon.  The  attack  b-  iMK  co'.nmenced  by  the  two  Princes 
of  Wurterohuig,  the  French,  alte;'  an  obstinate  resisiancc,  wc/e  <ie- 
fVa-ed.  Paris  theu  capitulated-;  and,  on  the  following  day.  tlie  last 
d^Y  *jf  March,  she  was  entered  by  tiie  Allied  Si>veieigns  and  t'leii' 
Guard,-.  \jy  this 'time,  the  Beast  was  nearly  overwhelmed  with  her 
jjli^juc*^  death,  and  mourning,  and  famine.  For,  on  the  mxt  diy, 
ilia  1st  of  April,  th.e  Senate  declared  that  Napoleon  had  foifiled  hii 
v'r>>wn.  And,  on  the  4tiij  he  abdica!ed  l.is  crov^-n.  Atid.  on  the 
llth,  ihc  treaty  was  .signed.  '•  And  tlius  he  ca  ac  to  his  end,  and 
there  was  none  to  help  idm  "  And,  on  tlie  !5th,  the  ycli-  ended  > 
So  that  the  whole  took  p'ace  vviihin  the  one  year. 

Friivo  ;!i-i  time  B  >naparte  left  Mvtscow,  on  the  lOth  of  Ocrober, 
1812,  until  the  middle  of  Ap'iU  1813,  wljen  hedeparied  for  his  ar- 
my, to  meet  ihi  Allied  armies,  was  nearly  sixmoniiis.  Duiing  this 
ti.'c.  uii.nt'ii;,  Bauapaite  suHered  great  mislortunes  ;  s:>  gre;;t  that 
li.ey  "  would  have  broke  h  s  hearr,"  as  In-  s:iid  to  thr-  French  Sen- 
ate, '»  it  lie  hid  bee  I  suscepubli-.  of  any  ot-icr  impression  than  the 
future  good  andgiory  of  hi.i  people."  For,  by  cold,  liuoger,  faiigur, 
u::d  freff'ient  attacks  of  the  Llissians,  who  furioiii'ly  pursued  him, 
Ills  reirc.itirg  areoy,  undergoing  ihe  most  unparallelled  suft' i  i;tg.<, 
v/as  neeriy  cue  olf.  S  >  that  but  a  small  remnant  of  thai  mighty  ar- 
my I. ver  returned  to  the  French  territory  ;  whde  the  spoil  ol  the 
\vljoiearmy  fed  to  th.e  llu->ians. 

X'jw,  in.  tUcaC  diiiblroui  circumstances,  ii)e  nations  gf  Euioje 


JO  J 

t:);\t  ha'!  been  orap.s'-.^-l  io  sub'v/it  (•.•  riie  ii- v.s  (li  Fr,irici%  siifz 'i 
lhi;5  opjjjrtuaity  to  tiii-o'w  o'Vtiie  Krone!)  yoke,  aivl  j')iiu»'i  (he  'lua- 
slans^  agiinst  the  FriMich.  The  armie.-  o*' t'v-e  ci  nb'med  P.);Voj?i  of 
Europ!',  were  c.y.ninj;  a':;ain--t  Frunct'.  Aiv:L  in  t:>' nrKi  lie  n!  '\p;'M, 
1813,  B.)n,ip.5!'te  si;ir:e:l  ti)  -iieet  fi) -n.  Hi'-r^i^re  ^^';!s  ;'()li;t;!c 
fbuL^lit  betweea  Bonapat-re  .laM  r  vs,-'  c.!:n';  ii.-l  Pu-v  i>.  i)yi-..v  \']C 
29»h  of  April,   !Sl.j  ;   .in)  t'l'  i  ri  ■I'lm::  bin  -kiiMisvi  ■  ^  ;  .^'  :  :': 

be  ctinriit'ei't'!.]  a^;  actin;^  ,iu,iii;s'  •ht-  uou  ):;ic  !  P.r.v:.T  .  (i!  l^iro;;;!  : 
ai!:l  he  seems  to  huve  e^cpected  succe*^  ;  not  '!■:.;!. iiig  his  U:ue  v;.\y, 
so  short. 

Ba!,  on  ih.^  i:0:.h  ■' -j  mT  il;-  ^:i.n>'  uvinti;.  ih?  Uoi.)  ve:irs  of  ihe 
Deabl-':;  pi'usptjifv  vvii  i:at.  And,  afrtrtiie  iOth  (!:;y  (;f  A;)ril,  uviiiy 
b;i(t!es  u^re  l'ou;-:it.  ihi'ii^b  llis^  cour-<e  of  rJio  Sin.iior,  witii  doubt- 
;";;[  sijcces-,  picvuiu.-*  to  the  j;r'  it  bat  ie  of  Leipzic. 

So  thai,  in  truth,  all  !i>e  i;!^::^^^^  tiiat  overt-n-neJ  (he  French  Ga- 
veniniea!:,  caitie  upoii  liei-  b-i  wcpy  ;hi-!  20ih  ii;;v  of  Api'il,  1813,  aiiJ 
ihe  laih  liay  ofApi'l',  IS  4:   wiic'i  i-j  just  one  pr.)p!iotio  )  ear. 

The  phtgue:-;  were  .ii-a'i),  a;ii!  fa'iuiie,  aiiij  mouriiin.^^.  The  fa- 
;,il::e,.  was  a  i'aniine  of  giiveivimental  io^^ourccs.  Every  plasj  was 
formed  that  great  'rilit.ii-y  talents  ci^ub!  (!evi:-,e,  a;u]  every  <  [I'-rt  was 
p.ut  forth  that  heroism  could  fXi^rt  5  but  a!!  i#v3in.  T'le  desith  '.vas 
ihe  downfall  of  tiie  Giverriip.ent,  of  which  I  have  been  trealing,  -ind 
ilic  uiouruingis  deicribed-in  the  '.8'h  chapler  of  Re^elatiifU;. 

There  i-*  a  wniiderful  and  exact  couicidence  offsets  and  circuni- 
•■^Jatices  tiiai  ivje^if  \n  the  Fier.ch.  Guvcrnruent,  aud  vi  it-  fall  under 
.  iio!i;iparle,  in  1814  ;  which  fict:^  and  circa'.nstances  appear  to  ful- 
fil and  verify  fh.e  piojihecii'S  of  Daniel  and  Joiin,  even  to  an  asfOr 
nibhment.  Kvery  event  has  taken  place,  whicli  those  Prophets  s.sid 
wo:dd  take  place,  against  the  time  of  the  fall  of  tlie  Beast. . 

Add,  a:^  i'd  as  lelates  lu  the  fall  of  die  Beasts  and  all  the  '.vay  up  to 
the  fill, the^e  pr;  phecies  appear 'o.be  perpectiv  ui!ul!ed  at  thtMi  >wn!uii 
of  Bonaparte,  i;i  they^ar  1814.  Bat,  acco;dlii^  to  ihe  ktiowri  situ- 
ation and  circuiii  ances  of  th.e  kingdoms  of  the  v.-urld,  tho?e  pi"ji!ie- 
des  could  lioti  ave  baen  fulfilled,  so  completely,  in  .any  o;hir  Uov- 
eruaient,  or  at  any  odier  tia'ie,  before  that.  And.  according  to  the 
known  ^ii'aution  and  circuaistances  of  all  other  Gavcrnm^-nt?,  and 
of  t'le  fci'ieach  G-.vern',nent,  tiiOse  prophecies  never  can,  heieafter,  be 
ro  completely  fa'iilled  as  tl-.ey  were  at  that  iin»e.  Or,  so  far  as  [ 
can  see,  liiey  could  !)ot  be  fu  filled  at  all-,  after  the  yeai-  18  14.  I 
ipcaU  of  tbcevents  up  to  the  fall  ol  tlie  Beast.  But,  after  tlii'  (all  of 
the  Baa-, t,  th.'i  Sanctuary  has  to  be  cleansed,  and  preparitioii  made 
fiSr  liic  Miiieniiiilaj; 


BAMYJAm  IS  FAI.I^E:^r,  IS  FAI^J.S^". 

Tlie  fiill  of  B.'ibjloii,  or  of  the  Beast,  was  j-eprese:iic(i  as  a  •.nat- 
ter (;f  ij;reat  monrtiiiig  aiul  lamentation  to  the  fiiemls  cf  the  Heast. 
And  inanj  that  are  now  living  can  rfcnllect  vaonxr'thiii;^;  of  the 
various  •sensations  of  mourning  and  weeping,  lamentation  and  'Aail- 
inii,  =i'"l  gnashing;  of  tceih,  that  was  manifested  among  ail  the  ranks 
cfintideiuj  and  friends  (jf  the  Beast,  of  every  description^  at  the  \,x\\ 
of  Bonap.irte.  The  unclean  sp'irits  like  frogs,  had  gone  out  of  the 
moutli  of  the  Dragon,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  Beast,  and  out 
of  (he  mouth  of  tlie  False  Prophet,  to  all  the  Governments  of  tlic 
■V'.'orUI,  and  had,  more  or  Ic^s,  stirred  them  up  to  tako  one  side  or 
theothtr.  But  the  unclean  spirits  like  fro2;s,  croalied  on  the  side 
of  the  Beast,  as  ifthey  felt  convinced  that  the  Beast  w.is  oiitirelv 
triumphant,  and  t!ut  infidelity  would  f akc  tl^j  world.  Vviule  tmth, 
a':d  peace,  ami  righteousness,  if  they  had  not  given  badi,  had'at  least 
come  to  a  deathlike  stand,  and  felt  that  none  but  God  coisUi  pre- 
serve them.  But,  in  these  frightful  and  awful  circuoiStHuces,  that 
tried  men's  iu-art:',  the'  fall  of  Bonapaite  'was  like  as  if  a  mighty" 
nr.gfl  had  taken  up  a  great  stone,  like  a  mighty  niill-slone,  and  catt 
it  into  a  sea  of  croaking  unclean  frogs,  that  would  cease  their  croak- 
ing as  soon  as  liie  stone  would  strike  the  water.  So  did  infiilelityj 
for  a  time,  erase  its  publk  croaking,  a;id  vented  its  feelings  of  dis- 
appointment i-n  fruifle-s  l«inc'itations  and  Vv'ailings,  all  over  the 
world,  i  ou;>,ht,  also,  to  state,  that  many  good  men  in  the  world? 
who  hid  been  influenci-ri  to  expect  Bonaparte,  would  do  a  great 
quantity  of  good  in  she  world,  fcit  a  -rreat  disappointment  at  his  la!!, 
a-id  were  mucH  niortilied  ;it  their  disttppointinent. 

\Vii>.!c.  v;i  the  other  hand,  it  was  in  fact  otiiy  tlie  downrul!  of 
the  kii>iv-',;);>i  (if  <!arkr>es3.  Atnl  the  time  had  come  to  cleanse  the 
Sanciuaiy,  and  to  give  all  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  ui  be  the  king- 
doms of  our  L(nd  and  of  his  CMrist.  And  the  friends  of  God  and 
of  truih  were  mailed  upon  to  rejoice  and  be  glad.  '"Rejoice  over 
her,  thou  heaven,  and  ye  holy  ApOvStles  and  Prophete  ;  for  God  hath 
aveoi^edyou  on  her."  Rev.  18.  20.  Daniel,  in  his  7ih  chapier, 
and  I3ih  and  l-it'i  ver>e«*,  directly  after  "  the  Beast  was  slain,  and 
his  body  destroyed,  an;!  oiven  to  the  burning  tlame,"  says — he  saw 
one  like  uuto  the  Son  ol  Man,  come  to  the  Ancient  ot  Days  ;  '*  and 
there  \va8<);\v('n  him  dominion,  and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that  all 
people,  nations,  anil  languages,  should  serve  him;  his  dominion  is 
an  everlasting  dosninion,  which  shall  not  pass  away,  and  his  king- 
dom ti.at,  which  .^hdl  not  be  d.  jtroved.'^  And.  after  intormi;'g  us, 
in  tlie  25th  verse,  ti  at  the  S.ints  shall  be  given  up  'o  be  worn  ■  ut 
by  the  Beast,  tor  a  time,  and  limes,  and  tlie  dividing  of  time,  or  lor 


369 


]5o0  years,  lie  gop.s  on,  in  the  26t!i  and  2r(.h  verses,  and  says — 
"  Bat  the  Judgment  shall  sit,  and  tliey  shall  take  away  his  do'ni- 
nion,  to  consume  and  to  destroy  it  unto  the  end.-  And  the  kingdom 
and  dominion,  and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole 
heaven,  shall  be  given  to  the  people  of  the  Saints  of  the  Most  High, 
whose  king'.lom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom,  and  all  dominions  shall 
serve  and  obey  him."  And,  with  this,  agrees  Daniel's  explanation 
of  the  "  stone  cut  out  without  hands,  that  became  agreat  nmuntaii;, 
and  fdled  tlie  eai'th."  See  Danl.  2.  But  I  have  said  that  the  se- 
venth seal,  the  seventh  trumpet,  the  seventh  vial, arid  the  third  woCj 
all  tike  place  after  the  fall  of  the  Beast. 

The  sixth  seal,  being  opened,  informs  us  that  "  the  great  day 
of  his  wrath  is  come."     See  Rev.  6.  17. 

This  great  day  of  his  wrath,  agrees  with  the  fall  of  the  Beast  ; 
as,  ill  DanL  7.  9,  10,  11,  where  he  desctibes  the  sitting  of  the 
Judgment,  and  slaying  the  Beast. 

Then  John  goes  on,  m  his  7th  chapter,  to  inform  us  that  no- 
thing must  be  hurt;  until  t1ie  servants  of  God  were  sealed  in  titoir 
foreheads,  and  gives  a  very  pleasing  account  of  the  times  of  tiie 
Millennium. 

Then  he  mentions  the  opening  of  the  seventh  seal,  and  says, 
th.erc  was  silence  in  heaven  for  th^  spiice  of  half  an  hour.  By  this 
silence,  ite  notiiies  us  ihat  the  events  of  Uie  seventh  seal  were  not  to 
be  published  for  a  little  while  ;  and,  in  the  time  of  the  silence,  he 
givL'S  us  six  of  the  truinpets  sounding  an  alarm  over  the  two  Aposta- 
cies  ;  then  he  tells  us  that  two  of  the  woes  were  past,  which  was  a*t 
the  end  of  the  12G0  years,  or  at  the  fall  of  the  Beast.  But  the  third 
woe  was  to  come  quickly.  Then,  in  11  and  15,  he  says,  the  se- 
venth angel  sounded-  Now,  the  silence  was  broken,  and  the  time 
had  coiiie  to  write  the  evenis  wliich  had  been  uftered  by  the  seven 
thunders,  in  tiie  10th  chajvter,  and  which  John  was  about  to  write  iii 
the  l!)th  chaiUer  ;  but  he  was  informed  that  was  not  the  tifue  to 
write  It.  But  that  iie  sh  )U;c-  write  it  when  the  seventh  angel  would 
be^in  V)  s.)!j;).i.  AlrLT.  he  hid  written  a  little  of  what  was  contained 
iath.eseventnse.il,  under  the  seventh  trumpet ;  that  all  the  king- 
drms  of  this  vvorid  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his 
C  irist,  and  tiiut  ne  should  reign  uir  ever  and  ever,  atul  nad  .ilniiU- 
ed  tile  uatio'is  i>y  iuforunng  them  that  the  wrath  of  God  had  co'oe  ^ 
wirn  ;» it  tiic  Sdioe  tiling  as  the  great  d,iy  ofiiis  wrat'i,  before  spokeu 
of:  he  .v.n  liittMi-irpted  again,  until  he  should  descmie  tlie  poarmg 
out  >is.  ;'.t  tne  vials  of  wrato,  w:iicii  six  were  iinished,  noiv,  when 
the  great  (lay  of  iiis  wrath  liad  come,  and  tne  Boast  was  slain.  Tlien 
lie.vvas  i-^:ii[Y  io  reiume  ill?  sjbiect,  in  tie  l6t:i  civtpter,  !7 — '2i.and 


37(^ 

stiM  going  on  with, his  seventh  trumpet,  he  «ounde<l  the  alarm  of  the 
thi;-ii  vie,  in  pvuirinir  out  the  sevpptli  vial ;  all  of  which  are  contain- 
ed uiiler  the  seventh  sea!:  an-.i  all  took  place  after  the  tall  of  the 
Beast. 

Wti;-;- 'fore,  T'lis  seventh  trumpet  notifies  the  world  that  the 
clean-i'i^  of  (he  S.inctu.irv,  and  prcij.iring  the  world  for  the  Miilen- 
niu  II,  uiil- be  attendefl  with  adrendfiil  woe. 

"  The  sevt'tnh  anojel  poured  out  his  vial  into  the  air,  and 
there  came  a  great  voice  out  of  the  temple  of  heaven,  frotn  the 
tJsroni',  sayino;  it  is  t]')nii.  And  there  were  voices,  and  thundorings, 
an]  lip;htnini;s,  and  ih.'M-e  was  a  great  earrhquake,  such  as  was  not 
since  men  were  upon  t!ie  earth,  so  mighty  an  earthquake  and  so 
great,"  &c.  This  seventh  vial  does  not  appear  to  have  been  poured 
out  on  any  one  particular  spot  or  Government  ;  but  into  the  air  ge- 
nerally :  which  appears  to  represent  the  civil  and  religious  opi- 
nions of  individuals,  and  civil  and  religious  politics  of  nations  gene- 
rally. And  there  will  be  a  dreadful  conflict  of  opinions,  both  civil 
and  rfdigiou-:,  among  the  people  of  each  Government,  and,  also,  be- 
tween ilie  different  Governments  of  the  world  :  but  particularly 
within  ihe  limits  of  the  two  Apostacies. 

David,  in  the  xlnd  Ps^Im,  prophesied  with  reference  to  these 
latter  times,  and  said — '•  Ask  of  me,  and  I  shall  give  -thee  the 
heajhen  for  thine  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth 
for  thy  possession.  Thou  shalt  break  thpm  with  a  rod  of  iron  ;  thou 
shalt  dash  them  in  pieces  like  a  potter's  vessel."  There  is  not  a 
kingdom  or  nation  under  the  Sun  but  must  undergo  a  vastly  great 
purging  and  reformation  in  some  way  or  other.  Some  will  be  dash- 
ed against  each  other  in  war,  and  will  be  broke  in  pieces.  But  eve- 
ry civil  and  religious  constitution  will  be  scrutinized,  in  every  vvay, 
by  its  own  people,  botli  gooil  and  bad  ;  and  it  will  make  no  difi'er- 
ence  bow  sacred  it  may  have  been  held  heretofore  ;  every  point 
t'lat  will  not  beir  the  li<jht  of  eternal  truth,  will  be  overturned. 
And,  in  this  Wav,  many  wi'I  be  entirelv  rev;\'utioni/,ed,  while  others 
will  be  amend -d  ;  until  t!ie  wlinle  world  will  "see,  eye  to  eye,  and 
have  oni'.  form  ot  Government,  in  Church  iuVd  State,  and  have  one 
system  of  civil  policy,  and  one  s\stpm  of  religit)n.  But  al!  this  can 
take  piice,  or.ly  in  proportion  as  I'ght  and  tiutli  increases  and 
spre.ids  in  the  world  ;  for  ignorance  n^ver  investigated  any  thing. 

But,  in  proportion  as  light  and  truth  increa'^es  and  spreads  over 
the  world,  so  will  goodness  on  om'  sid;-,  and  wickedness  on  the 
otiier  side,  b;.'  manifesied  for  a  wnile  yet.  For,  although  rigliteous- 
ne?is  slu;l  yet  cove  r#(e  einth.  still  the  wickci  will  do  wickedly  for  a 
period  of  liaie  yel+o  come.     This   peiiod  of  time,  I   understand  t»> 


37i 

be  30  years  from  the  fall  of  the.  Beast.  During  this  30  pro- 
phetic yt'ivs  after  the  fail  of  the  Beast,  the  wicked  vvill  increase  in 
(lui'.i^  wickedly.  Bat,  ai:^o,  lig'itaiKl  trul'  will  increase,  duringthis 
SO  years  after  the  fall  of  the  Beast  ;  but,  durin;^  tlie  next  45  years, 
the  inci-Caseui  li  ght  and  truth  will  be  much  greater. 

Th.n-e  re  to  be  75  pruj)itetic  years  spent,  i\-'.i',v.  the  fa!!  of  tlie 
.Be^.-t,  in  cleansing  tie  Sanctuary,  and  pieparing  the  world  for  the 
Mi!'<"-nniuin.  This  75  year*,  is  that  curious  day,  that  slioui-d  be  nei- 
ther c'ear  nor  dark,  bat,  in  the  evening,  it  hhali.  be  light.  Zach.  14. 
G  — D,  !i  will  be  a  !vind  of  iwiiight  between  the  daikness  of  i<>i| 
Beis-'s  leigi)  and  the  light  of  the  Millennium  ;  beCii-siing  mi'/ie  and 
nmse  iigi.it,  as  it  cornes  nearer  to  tlie  Vlslienniyrn.  These  75  years 
Vv'iii  end  on  the  2rth  d^iy  of  Marcli,  183".  Witliiii  tlvit  period,  tiie 
w.irld  lias  t!)  Uiid.:M-go  a  very  great  rvifurtnation.  Light  and  SruUi 
tnu^t  cover  the  earth  ;  .peace  am!  ru^h'eousness  will  abound- every 
wlu're,  before  tlie  end  of  tluit  pi^riod  ;  so  that  the  Miilenninin  will 
begin  d-lighti'iiUy.  Bat,  also,  wars  aiid  rumours  of  wars,  vvcmx'  to 
tak'-  place  within  that  [leriod  ;  in.^oinacii  thilt  there  was  to  be  a  tisne 
of  trouble,  such  as  never  was  before  it. 

During  the  fir-it  30  years  from  the  fall  of  ihe  Beast,  "  aiiny 
shall  be  DLirifi^Mi,  and  made  wliite,  and  tritr-d  ,'  but  tiie  wicked  shiil 
do  wic':fdly  ;  and  nons^  of  the  wicked  sjiiall  understand  ;  but  tiic 
.wise  shall  understand,"  Disil.  12-10.  This  will  be  a  time,  no 
doubt,  that  will  try  n^en's  hearts.  '*  Many  shall  be  p'jrined,  aiid 
made  white,  and  tried." 

Light  aod  truth  will  increase  slowly,  duriug  this  30  years;  but,. 
every  year-,  more  ^h:!n  the  preceding;  yea-  ;  so  tha',  b^v  the  titne  the 
30  years  nre  nut,  -'he  -vorid  wil!  have  undergone  a  gr<>at  altera-ion. 
But  njuch  faster 'for  the  nest  45  years  ;  souiething  like  nations  be- 
ing born  in  a  day. 

No-v,  die  >.*riter  mast  be  allowed  to  state,  that  the  above  senti- 
ment was  written  about  the  year  1814,  w'*en  the  times  were  dar-:, 
and  prospects  dull,  Bt.t,  now,  in  the  year  183^,  the  writer  has  ■  i'^ 
pli^^r-iire  fo  say,  tb.\.  cue  work  ot  God  has  prospered  in  the  v.,*  Id 
even  more  thari  he  expecled  it  wr.uld  from  that  time  until  now  ;  md, 
every  year,  it  has  come  out  to  ^is  admiration  ;  more  bt^ir;,  done 
than  had  b^en  done  tUe  preceding  year.  Almokt  all  the  >;0cietteS 
for  spret 'i:ig  Gospel  light  and  i'dormation  in  the  vvor'd,  has  been 
established  since  that  time.  Biiile  Socipties  have  b--*f:  egrablished 
almost  ei'ery  where  :  the  Scriofures  have  been  translated  ioto  al- 
most  evpry  language,  and  have  been' sent  neaHv  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth,  n«  if  the  windows  of  heaven  had  been  opened,  and  they  had 
been  rauied  down. 


The  Missionary  Sociefies  have  becor.ie  numerous  and  stroni^, 
and  have  seal  forth  their  Missionaries  to  nearly  all  natio;-s,  v.'ith 
encouraging  success.  And  the  Tract  Sucietit'S  liave  sent  iorth  their 
winge.i  inL-ssengers,  until  one  wouiil  beaiiviost  ready  to  think  that 
the  angel  of  tlie  everlastino  Gospel  was  ilviog.  thro-.ah  the  heaven. 
Wiiile  the  Sunday  Schools,  t!;c  int'.iot  Schojls,  and  various  bene- 
volent Societies  and  hisi.itutions,  wouh!  teinj-.t  one  to  suspect  that  " 
the  Angel  of  Benevolence  was  hovering  over  the  uoild.  All  these 
things  I'.elp  to  strengthen  my  faith  in  the  Core-j^oing  calculations,  and 
encourage  tne  to  hope  that,  future  years  will  come  out  more  abun- 
dantly to  ray  satisfaction.  Rut  let  me  not  indiilge  this  feeling  too 
frtely.  However,  [  '.v-ill  say,  that  the  Ciiristiati  comnuinitv  has  felt 
an  impulse,  since  the  year  1314,  which  if  never  felt  to  siich  a  degree 
before.  And  there  is  every  reason  to  hupe  it  vviil  persevere  in 
welldoing,  under  (Jed,  until  iruth  and  righteousness  shall  cover  the 
whole  eanh. 

Yet  lam,  also,  convinced,  that  the  wicked  will  do  wickedly. 
The  same  spirit  of  wickedness  is  in  tlie  world  yet,  that  was  at  the 
fall  of  the  Beast.  And  it  is  a  restless  spirit  that  would  not  stop  at 
the  injury  or  destruction  of  Church  or  State.  The  contest  between 
trutli  and  falsthood,rigliff ousne;^  and  vvickednes«,  will  be  severe  : 
but  the  victory  will  be  gaii-ed  within  the  75  years  from  the  down- 
fall of  the  Beast.  And,  1  amofopnion  ihatit  will  be  mainly  gain. 
ed  l)y  the  time  the  first  30  years  are  eniled.  I  expect  that  tlie  third 
woe  will  be  past,  when  tlie  tirs't  oO years  arc  ended.  The  third  \voe 
will  he  experienced  in  gathering  the  harvest  and  vintage.  See  Rev. 
14.  14 — 20.  This  harvest  and  vintage  are  to  be  gathered  after  the 
fall  of  the  Beast. 

For,  in  the  14th  chapter  and  8th  verse,  John  says — "  And 
there  followed  another  angel,  saying,  Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fail- 
en,  that  great  citj*,  becanse  she  made  all  liations  drink,  of  th^ 
Wine  of  the  wrath  of  her  foini  :Uion. "  And,  after  announcing 
the  fall  of  Babylon,  another  angel  waA  directed  to  "thrust  in  his 
sickle,  and  reapj  for  the  time  is  come  for  thee  to  reap  ;  fi>r  the  har- 
vest of  the  earth  is  ripe."  And  then  another  angel  was  directed  to 
thurst  in  "  his  sharp  sickle,  and  giM.hC!  the  cluster:^-  of  the.vine  of 
the  earth  ;  for  her  grilles  are  fully  lipe.  And  the  angel  thrust  in 
his  sickle  into  the  earth,  and  gath<  led  the  vin^  o*  tne  earth,  and  cast 
it  into  the  .great  wine-press  of  thit' wrath  oJ  God.  And  the  wme- 
ps'ss  was  trodden  without  the  city,  and  blood  came  out  of  the  wine- 
press, even  unto  the  horses' bribles,  by  the  space  of  a  thousand  and 
six  hundred  furlongs." 

This  harvest  and  vintage  are  a  different  matter  from  the  battle 


3V5 

iii  Aruiage.iiiou.  Anil  iiiey  take  in  all  the  wais  and  bkHiiUliod  i\v\t 
are  ever  to  take  place,  until  "  swords  shall  be  beaten  ihti^  [;;(iUi.>''  . 
chares,  and  the  s.pears  into  pruning  hooks  :  and  nation'  s^ial(l  nut 
!i!'t  up  sword  against  nation,  neither  »hai!  Ih.cj  learn  uin-an)  mure." 
Isaiah -2.  4. 

When  Bona'parte  returned'  from  Elba  to  France,  in  ^';e  year 
1815,  then  bea;dn  this  harvest.  The  battle  of'  '-.ViLtMliiu  va-.  :;  part 
of  the  harveiit.  All  the  battles,  iny'^  tiv;  nill  .  i"  t '^-  ije,:-  i-ui'  the 
bailie  of  Go'^  and  Magtg,  may  be  called  t!ie  isarve^t.  iiai  U)e  oat- 
tie  of  G'>2;  and  Mao;i)}^,  may  be  called  the  vir.t.'ge.  This  l)at(ie  is 
described  in  the  38t!i  and  39th  chiorers  of  Ez';k:e!.  Tiie  bl  jod  run- 
ning to  the  horses'  bridles,  by  the  ;';p,)ce  ')!'  a  tiuj'r.rsand  .-lua  six  iun- 
di'ed  furlongs,  or  two  miles,  is  a  liu  ..  A'ive  reiue-k  u  .  .ion  of  the 
most  dreadful  conflict  and  time  of  troabic  that  ever  toos  place  on 
earth. 

This  Ijarvest  and  vintage  are  a  iiavt  of  ih;;  cie.H;BHii;_  mj'  I'se  Sanc- 
tuary, and  p!;epa;ang  ior  ihe  MiUcnoiuin.  vjou  has  ^evera!  wavs 
anc]  means  fu' clea:.;s!ng  the  Siucuary.  Tie  cir'-^'ah-uion  of  the 
Goppel  in  the  w:>rhi  is  the  g'-e;;te^t.  Bat,  wiutc  .liat  fails,  he  wil! 
eajl  in  the  ?u.ord.  and  pesiilen-e,  and  fa';n;ne,  diseas?,  and  de.i-;ii. 
And,  I  have  no  do'abr,  t.he  h;trvL'st  and  vinlau'e,  cosisi-.ts  of  w-.r, 
pestilence,  ia /in';,  arid  (ii^a.U!.  Tae  p.'StilenciV,  called  ta"  Chi' era 
Morbus.  W;ii.-i"i  ua^,  aad  i-  s;ri>Vi;;;v  .:r>  f;;^;  i-  A^;.:  .laii  lilur:;!!),;',  is  a 
parr  of  ihe  harv.sr,  a^ii'  :i  i  pr'  i-]  -k;  ':;(•;■::.  ;  ;:-  :  i-vai-iny;  ?.ie 
Sanciuary,  Bui,  ^jelorc  t!u;  v,nTa'i:e  is  ^iver,,  ih-  ;j\v-,i'i,  pes'iieitce, 
famine,  and  uraili,  u';ll   b;?  ("nr.i,, .  .^i. 

But  \vUo  IS  t;ii>  -J.'g  d -.1  ;I:.;:-  .;,  'hj::;^  ;o  bj  c  ,-,n'ove.!,  at?d  is 
to  s^iiier  in  i.ais  bni:-^  o:  U;;j^  ana  _u  i^i;  >.a,  ^v.^.-n  ^-i  ,.  ■  l- u!  -.Lv^n  :;j; 
ihevinv  0*"  th>>  eartn,.aad  cariiiag  it  into  riie  ^n^^it  \V!,;..  pre^s  »f  the 
\vrat!i  0!  God  .''  - 

Ma;og  u-asthe  son  of  Jit-iheth,  the  :v<.':;  (if  X-  .  ^  :  O -n.  10. 
1,5.     '•  Tiie  -^otis  of  Jap!^^:h  ;  G^<i:)f'i\  ,'.-■•'   V:;;.;;-,.  '    ■_   da,  ...id 

JavaO,  and  i.\)b;:K  and  Mo  h^ch^  aad  Tir.--  ■.  i  J  'h  ;;  .  .  '  ^  .er; 
Ahii^cpoaz,  and  iiiphath,  and    r..:;.,r.i' sh. "' 

•     Josephus    say-; — "  Japhat,    tin-  .son  o*    N:,  .  , '■    -^v  :!    ^ons. 

They  inhabited  so,  tiiat  b-^g-.i:;ii!:.';  j  r  rlie  nniiiritMiij  ij.hu  .i',.;  Auia- 
nus,  they  proceeded  a!on^  Asia  as  far  as  the  i  ivpr  ■r.a''::a-,  ai>J  .ilario- 
Euiope  to  Cadiz..  For  Gom  r  fournleii  tho.-*'  natio.iv  u^hom  ?l..-^Gie- 
ciaas  eal!  Galatiiins.  (Gai.s.)  M' i;^')':*;  r*»ii  ided  iht:..;^  nations  tiiat 
tlae  Greeks  call  Scythii^ns,  Fri.uj  ilidai  c)m->  fh  •  \\  ,!t»s  5  but 
tVum  J  ivani  came  Joni:i.  (or  Joni  ::is,)  a:id  a!;  the  Gr-^-^ns.  The 
'ibiT'ans  came  from  Thobei.  or  rulKii.  Fio.n  Mo-och.  ^a  Vf-'.lv::^ii,) 
came  dv  Caopatiocianis.  From  Ibiras,  (ur  Tiras.)  came  Uie  rnra- 
FF 


374 

<;aii':»  Fioiii  Asd'anay..  (Aslikcniiz,)  t!ic  son  of  Gomcr,  came  t!ie 
Ko^/iiiiaiiS. '  Fi(;;n  Mijy.ia'li,  came  ilv;  Pap!iliig,'>nians.  Aiul,  from 
'riiiu^raiiin!:!.  (or  Tt.j;an;;,;;,)  ihe  s;>!i  of  Gtuner,  came  tiie  Phrygians, 
in  lhe.N(srt;i.ot  Ai?ia,"  Minor.  And,  fruai  t!iu.-e,  ull  JCurope  uafi 
peopled  with  i!ie  ile?ce!idants  ol  J-iphell). 

'I'hc;   S:yl!i:ans  aie  ihc  (iescendasils   of  Magog';  anc'    i'le  Oito- 
lii.ui  TarKSiire  of  chr  Scvthians.   Aii-.i,  iherefoiv,  the  Turk-'.  ;ir..'   tlie 
(!.>cendaiiis  of  iVlagog,  atid  are,  or  may  be  ca!lfd  Magog.    And  G.)"-" 
is  llie  land  tf.Ma^og. 

These  Turks  ave  now,  and  have  been  for  a  iong  time,  io  posses- on 
of  Jeri;sa.!eui  :iud  Fa.lestiae,  where  it  appears  that  the  great  battl-;  is 
to  be  io'.igut.  Gog,  ur  Magog,  sigoiiies  a  roof  or  covering.  Atx', 
i;.)  Kzckie!,  .\] agog  is  colied  tlic  Chief  Prince  ot  Mesech  and  Tubal. 
He  is  Jo  bi'  ihe  iii-ad  of  ail  t'lo  mighty  combination.  And  the  Turks, 
at  tills  tiuiC,  are  the  hiCad  of  aim.ttst  all  tiie  countries  named  as  li'is 
ooiiff.ilei-ates  ;  "Persia,  Etliiiipia,  and  liibia  witii  them;  Gorner.  and 
;dl  Iw.j  b;;n-.is;  tii'.-  house  oi  Togirio;),  of  t!ve  North  quarters, and  all  his 
hands  ;  inid   Oiarry  people  with  thee.'* 

Cl>n^^in^ir!ople  is  the  Cajtiloi  of  liic  Turkish  doaiinions,  uliich 
:  '^  c'xteii?ivti  in  Eur.:pe  and  Asia  :  and  extend  into  Africa  ;  and 
.  -liule  a  uumberof  the  islands  of  tlie  Mediterranean  &ea.  Where- 
'  ;  ■,  :vl;iL.og  is  wonderfully  well  situated  fur  the  great  wsirk  and 
h^'.Mi'Jitt!-  that  is  bef'ire  him,  and  which  will  come  \jpon  him.  It  is 
M)  ha  \n  ti>e. .'' bitter  years,"  that  he  shall  come  up  against  the 
niuuotai:is  of  Israel,  after  s,he  Israelites  have  been  brouglit  ba'cic  into 
tluir  own  hind  :  or,  after  Jsidah  and  Israel  both  have  been  brougiit 
back  into  their  own  land.  Aiid  it  will  be  soon  after  Judah  and  Is- 
rael return  to  Pate^tiue,  and  while  the  Jews  are  unprepared,  and  in 
a  defenceless  situation,  ai^d  not  suspecting  it.-  For  he  is  to  go  up 
to.  the  '•  hmd  of  ur.walled  villages  ;  to  them  that  are  at  rest,  that 
dwell  safeiv,  'jil  of  t'no  u  dweliing  without  walls,  and  having  neither 
bars  W'.y  'X'^iL'^-.  "  "  T'sou  sisAlt  a^cend  and  c».me  like  a  storm;  thou 
b,,h;'It  be  like  a  cIou<i  to  cuvcr  the  land,  thou,  and  all  thy  bands,  and 
many  pcop';-  wlthtlue."  Anr.  iiie  object  wiii  bo  '•  to  tske  a  spoil, 
&/)<!  to  tal<e  a  prey  ;  totursi  th.ine  hand  upoji  the  desolate  places  that 
are  now  inhabiti-*!,  an;i  upon  the  peo:  le  that  ate  ga'herod  out  of  all 
the  natiofs  v,M;:hhitve  gcttft-  rustle  and  a<'ods,  that  dw^jl  in  the 
midst  of  t!ie  land.  Sh.eba.  aod  Dedan,  and  ihe  mercliants  of  Tar- 
slush,  with  al"  fhe  vooDir  linn*  thv  rtcf,  sb.ill  say  iihto  »1,ee.  Art  thou 
come  to  fake  a  snoil  ?  ha-?  tli.-.-i  gathered  t!iy  cnmp.tny  to  take  a 
prey  ?  ^<»  carry  av\ay  «i!M>ra!.<l  r"!d.  to  take  away  cattlr  and  goods, 
to  take  a  great  spoi*  r" 

Before  I  say  any  usoie  about   this  battle,   it   will  be  proper  to 


37.5 

>,\\:.w  (.b.it  tlie  Jews  must  reiura  b;ick  intii  iheir  owa  Id'.ul  iiiul  couu- 
t."v,  b.'t.<,e  ^;i;:i  b:itr!c  is  i")i.Ji<lit ;  and  iire  tobe  ti-.e  iMsiraraedis,  la  the 
lumd  01  Groil,  for  fciiii  d'o:^t!-actiija  of  J^la^cVS- 


IlSTUilSi'  OF  THE  JEvV^.. 

Thcfvi  have  bseii  (loubfs  in  the  w.jild,  whetiier  or  ti'it  th.e  Jtnvs 
would  evt:r  llteraliy  return  into  tlieir  o>.  n  land.  'Fhe^e  doabis 
have  arisen,  notfroin  the  want  of  B-ble  fvidence,  biit  frdii!  slie  ^^v^iKt 
human  i'.nprobabiH'v-  ofsuch  ;iii  eMtraordinary  event.  S'i':h  doubt- 
ful fait'';,  however,  was  not  the  faith  of  Abraham-  But  soiivi  bav^' 
gnae-  u  step  further,  :\n\  Ii.ive  (iL'cided  that  the  Jews  would  iiev^i' 
return  into  their  own  iarid.  For,  it  has  been  asiiiuned  as  ;i  cerfain 
principle,  ihat,  if  ever  the  Jews  slVuuld  return  home  to 'iieir  own 
land,  they  would  become  Ciiristians  first.  And,  because  it  could 
not  be  found  in  the  Bible,  thai  the  Jews  woidd  becosne  Ciiristiaus 
before  they  would  return,  it  has  been  concluded  that  they  never 
would  return.  TiviS  assumed  principle,  in  directly  contrjry  to  the 
Bible  representation  of  t!ns  interesting  subject.  The  Jews  are  to 
return  first,  and  then  they  are  to  becoiiie  CtiristiMn-?;  wiiich  I  hope  to 
make  appear,   before  the  subject  is  disne. 

When  we  read,  in  the  Bible,  aay  thing  aboi.il  the'rit  jrn  of  the 
Jews  to  tiieir  own  counti-y,  it  is  a  mailer  of  ^rreat  consequi^nce  to  be 
able  to  decide,  with  a  satisfactory  certainty,  wisetiicr  or  not  that 
particular  prophecy -has  been  already  fedlilied,  I',  is  known  tiiat  the 
kin.niom  of  Judah  was  taken,  in  captivity  •o  OLibylon,  by  N  buchad- 
nezzar  ^  and,  after  seventy  years,  they  returned  back  into  their 
ov.'n  idod.  Atid  now  the  diiucuUy  is  to  know  cenain'y  whether 
the  Prophet  was  pr.ipiiesyiag  ab>)ut  tiiat  return  fro;u  B.ibylon,  or 
whether  the  prophecy  has  yet  to  be  fuitiUed. 

But,  so  tar  as  the  presc;jt  siioject  is  concerned,  tins  point  can 
bo  settled  vvith  the  gre.itesl  Bible  certainty  .Let  it  be  kept  in  iemem- 
brance,  that,  after  the  death  of  King  Solomon,  the  kingdom  of  Iprael 
was  d)vide<j,-aud  two  tribes  formed  the  kingdom  of  Judah  ;  dv.d  the 
other_ten  trioes  constiiuted  tiie  kingdom  of  Israel.  Arid  they  have 
lemained  separate  from  diat  time  until  now.  3at,  abnutone  hun- 
dr>'d  and  thirty  years  beiore  the  Bjbylonish  captivity,  loe  kingdom 
oflsrae!,  or  the  ten  tribes,  were '.akcii  captive  by  Sha'mai'.eser  the 
.  King  id' As:^yi-ia,  wiien  ilo^-ie..  was  King  of  Israel.  And  they  were 
scattered  m  the  counlries  eastward  from  jta-u.-a!em.  And  the  ten 
tribes  of  Israel  have  remained  iii  their  scattered  situafioivever  since, 
and  never  iuive  yet  returned  to  (liei..-  ov.-n  la!;d.     Wherefore),    v.heu 


376 

ar^.y  of  the  Prciphets  prophesy  about  the  return  oi  Israel,  ariu  expreg?*- 
ly  tneotior.  the  aame  Israel,  or  lioui=e  of  Israel,  or  my  people  Israel.: 
v.e  snay  b'  sure  tliat  prop.hecy  has  not  )-et  been  fuHiiled.  For  t!ie 
house  of  Isr.'iellias  never  yei  returned.  And,  when  the  Prophets 
speak  of  the  return  of  both  Israel  r»nij  Judah,  and  of  both  being  jols!- 
etl  together,  and  becoming  one  kingdo-.Ts,  and  having;  one  King,  and 
thr  like  ;  ws  may  be  sure  that  such  prophecies  have  never  been 
t'ulfiiled  5  and,  therefore,  they  are  yet  to  be  fulfiUcd. 

When  Daniel,  in  his  9th  chapter,  prayed  for  Jerusaieu)  and  [bv 
the  clea'.ssing  of  the  vSc-.nctuary,  iie  particularly  mentir.nod  the  "meti 
of  Judah,  the  inhabitants  of  Jcrnsiiiem,  audal!  Israel,  (hat  are  near,, 
and  that  nre  i?.v  ois',  through  all  the  countries  wiiither  thou  has' dri- 
ven them."  And  he  expected  all  to  be  restored  in  (he  time  of  clean- 
sin?;  the  Sanctuary,  after  the  end  of  the  prosperous  reign  of  the 
Beast. 

The  56th.  chapter  of  Ezekiel,  is  very  pointed  en  this  subject. 
"Also,  thou  son  of  man,  prophecy  unto  the  m<'.n;;frdns  oi'  Israel,  f:nd 
say"—''  But  ye,  O  nsnunfains  of  Israel,  ye  shall  shoot  forth  your 
Is, inches,  and  3'iel<i  jour  fruit  to  mj  people  of  Israel  ;  for  they  are 
li;  hai.ii  to  cone.  For,  behold  I  am  fur  you,  and  I  will  turn  unto 
v(  u,  and  je  shall  i)e  tilleii  and  sown  :  and  I  will  midtiply  men  upon 
•vou,  all  the  !;ou'!e  id  Israel,  even  ail  of  it  :  and  the  cities  shall  be 
inhiibited,  arid  the  vvas'fcs  shall  be  budded:  and  I  will  nndtiply  upon, 
you  nn'.n  and  beast;  and.  •!  ey  .-.hail  increase  and  bring  fruit:  and  1  will 
Sr-fiie  you  afrer  your  old  estates,  and  will  do  better  unto  you  than  at 
your  beginnings  :  and  yesiiull  know  that  I  am  the  Lord.  Yea,  I 
wih  cau?e  rnen  to  ^valk  u|ron  you,  even  my  people  Isi-ael  ;  and  they 
sh :■.;■  i  '^-^e -4  thee,  and  tliuu  shalt  be  their  inheritance,  and  thou 
shah  no  ;n;>!e  henc^dorth  bereave  tlum  of  men. — Therefore,  say 
utu^i  t!i(;:  ho:>s+'  of  Lr^c!,  Ttiu-i  ::;jiti;  ilie  Lurd  Gcd  ;  I  do  not  tlds 
for  ',ui'r  s:,ke-is  t)  h.'i,i.-.e  ,;i  i:!\!c',  !jtit  for  ndne  lioly  name's  sake, 
wh^-h  ye  h:tvt'  jiiuhMrd  among  the  h.eath. mi,  svhivher  ye  went.  And 
I  wi?i  saivcTify  mv  great  nui!!c,  wi.i.lt  wiis  profaned  among  the  h.ea- 
then,  wh:c!!  v^  have  pr-'ariod  i:  'hi^  midi^l  of  theui  :  and  the  hea- 
then >!ril'  ';i';i\v  dr^f  I  ui\  the  ii:^d,  S';i';i  l;;e  Lord  did,  \\h{".\  I 
sha!)  be  saiu  illicit  in  yuu  ht-iore  jheir  eye5».  For  I  v.id  t;!ke  ycu 
f.oni  ainiino;  the  heaih^M),  and  gather  you  c^ut  (d'ali  countries,  end 
will  brlno;  \(m  inU)  vi'i-r  ;)-.vn  !anii.  Th.ess  will  I  sprir;kie  v}r;\i<  w.i. 
ter  upon  vou,  and  ye  slisl!  be  clean  :  frcm  all  your  filildn- js,  snd 
frmn  ail  your  idOif<,  will  i  cle:-inse  jivc.  A  !)e\v  [lait  ;;'?<)  uil!  1  ,<.•!'•  r- 
yo'!,  and  a  new  spitit  vvi!!  i  put  \viil;i:i  yo'j  :  and  i  will  i.d.;-  av.ay 
the '•Ion y  h.ear I  our  of  yunr  iles';; ,  and  iv.ili  give  yon  an  heart  t  f 
flesh."     But  see  the  v.'hule  chapter.      Tiiii  is  as' plain  as  langiin.go 


377 

ciH'Jd  make  it.  But  this  was  spoken  of  the  house  of  Israel,  whic'i 
has  never  yet  retiirnc<!  into  their  own  land.  And,  therefore,  they 
must  yet  return  into  their  own  country.  But,  jcsfsoihe  one  should 
doubt  it,  from  its  great  human  improbability,  the  next  chapter.,  the 
G'th  of  Bzekiel,  points  you  to  a  valley  filled  with  dry  bones.  And 
shews  you  that  God  was  able  to  cause  them  to  live,  and  stand  up 
upon  their  feet,  an  exceeding  great  army.  And  the  llthverse 
says— *' Son  of  man,  these  bones  are  the  whole  house  of  Israel  :  be- 
hold, they  s.iy,  our  bones  are  dried,  and  our  hope  is  lost :  we  are 
cut  off" for  our  parts."  And  the  12t!i  verse  says — "  Therefore,  pro- 
phesy and  say  unto  them,  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  ;  Behold,  O  my 
people,  [  will  open  your  graves,  and  cause  you  to  come  up  out  of 
your  graves;  and  bring  you  into  (iie  land  of  Israel.  And  ye  shall 
know  that  I  am  the  Lord,  -vvhv  n  I  liave  opened  your  graves,  0  my 
people,  and  brought  you  up  out  of  your-graves,  anJ  s'!;-.'.!  jut  my 
spirit  in  youv  and  ye  shall  live,  and  I  shall  piaae  you  in  your  own 
land  :  Then  shall  ye  know  that  I  the  Lord  have  spoken  it,  and  per- 
formed it,  saith  the  Lord.''     See  to  the  14th  verse. 

I  know  this  valley  of  dry  bones,  has  been,  sometimes,  taken  as 
a  pattern  to  represent  the  resurrection  of  the  deiid  ;  and,  sometimes, 
it  has  been  spiritualized,  until  the  type  was  but  a  feint  resemblance  of 
the  anti-type  for  drought. 

But  God  said — ••Son   of  man  these  bones  are  the  v/liole  house 
of  Israel."     This  valley  of  dry  bones  is,   certainly,    the    strong^-st 
kind  of  a  figurative   representation  of  the  scattered,  and  appareurly 
lost,  situation  of  the  ten  tribes  of  Israel,  among  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth  ;  and  that  God  will,  with  a  certainty,    bring  them  again  into 
tht^ir  own  land.      They   were  at   first  taken   and  scattered    into  the 
klt)gd(mi  of  Assyria,  and  in  the  countries  boidering  on  the  river  Eq- 
phrates.     And,  from  there,  they  were  dissemiaated  over  the  coun- 
tries of  Asia  ;  and,   were  so  far  lost,  that,  in  after  ages,  the  civiliz- 
ed part  of  the  worUI  knew  not  what  had  become  of  them.    However, 
we  now,  know,  tliat  "they  are   at   h^nd  to  come. "     See    Ezekiel 
36.   8.     For  they  are  still  scattered  in  the   E^istern   countries,   ani  • 
are  numerous  in  the  lanii  of  Hindostan,   a  little  Southeast  from  Je- 
rusalem. 

But  there  are  many  strong  reasons  for  thinking  that  all  the  na- 
tions of  Indians,  in  A^nerica,  are  the  descendants  of  the  ten  tribes 
ofls'rael.  And,  if  they  really  are,  the  valley  of  dry  bones  wil'  ap- 
pear.to  be  so  much  the  more  a  striking  representation  of  the  hupe- 
;less  case  of  <he  fen  tribes  of  Israel, 

These  Iiidims  of  A  nerica,  mu^t  have  come  from  somewhere. 
And  there  «•  no  eyidence,  er  even  probability,  aaiaiaat  their  beai"-  of 
FF2 


o  t  o 

vbe  teu  tribes  of  I^iracl.  I'of,  I  wiil  q;;vo  a  lew  (-(^-isisn];  for  il.inAipji; 
f.hey  arc.  Sec  2\m\  ]'>i!ra«.  13.  4\)-~AT.  "  Tlioso  nrs  i\\c  ten 
tribes,  uluc'ii  were  carried  away  pi  isonors  out  of  (b.cir  own  Ian;!,  in 
tiie  time  of  Oaea  tiie  king,  witom  Salmar.asar,  the  kinij;  of  Anssvria^ 
led  away  captivo,  and  he  carried  them  over  the  \vaters\  nnd  so  came 
(iiey  into  anotlicr  land.  Ik't  they  took  tiiis  counsel  ainons;  tliCinselves. 
that  they  would  leave  tli!>  multitude  of  {lie  heathen,  and  go  fnrtli 
into  a  further  ccunlry,  wlicrc  never  mankind  dwelt,  tiiat  tiiev  mi^i^t 
there  keep  their  stalut-.s,  which,  they  never  kept  in  their  own  land. 
And  they  entered  into  P^iiphratcsby  the  narrow  passages  of  the  ri- 
ver. For  the  Most  High  then  shewed  signs'  for  them,  and  held 
still  the  flood,  till  they  were  passed  over.  For  througii  that  coun- 
try there  was  a  great  way  to  go,  namely,  o(  a  year  and  a  half  :  anl 
fhe  same  region  is  called  Arsareth. 

"  Then  clwelt  th'?y  the.-e  until  tls'  latter  time  ;  and  now  wlien 
they  shall  b -^in  to  cnme,  the  Hig-iest  shall  stay  the  Springs  of  t#e 
Stream  agalrt,  that  they  may  go  through  :  Tiicrefore,  sawest  thou 
the  niultitu'io  with  peace.'' 

This  piece  of  history  h:is  something  in  it  that  seeai-;  reasona- 
ble en(tugh.  There  appears  to  have  been  a  removal;  and  all  the  cir- 
CfJmstinces  indicate  tliat  it  was  through  Bheri  g's  Straits,  they 
came  to  Ameiica,  to  wivich  it  wsnild  have  been  a  long  journey,  and 
which  would  seeni  to  be  the  only  country  to  which  they  could  go. 
where  mankind  had  never  dwelt.  Th.e  Indian  Green  Corn  Dance, 
as  it  is  called,  appears  to  me,  that  it  muU  'ave  been  derived  fron\ 
the  Jewish  Feast  of  First  Fruits.  Many  of  <he  old  Indians,  as  I 
am  so  creditably  inlnrmed,  tha  I  cannot  doubt  it,  will  not  eat  even  i 
bean,  <  r  any  other  vegetable  of  the  new  crop,  u^^itil  that  day  of  the 
dance  ;  and  then  they  eat  it"  as  a  reli^;ious  ceremony.  And,  al- 
though we  call  it  a  daticc,  yet  it  is,  vv^itiv  tlTem,  a  religious  insti- 
tuition. 

There  are  twii  kinds  ofanritM't  mounts  thrown  up,  all  over  the 
country,  in  differeo' pLices.  I  li  ivt  been  ere  iitably  informcii  thai 
one  of  these  little  mauuis  v\a*  ti;r  burying  the  dead  ;  but  the  othe'r 
kind  w'ls  lor  an  alt. ir  of  sacrifice. 

The  Ir.di^us  are  nut  idoli-ors,  like  the  iieathen  nations  are 
known  to  be.  And  the  l.-uiiaus  believe  tliat  there  is  or:e  G.kI,  or  one 
Geat  Spirit.  Hut  (Ije  heatiieu  nations  believe  that  there  are  a  mul- 
titude (ifGiuKand  Goddesses. 

I  h.iVe  bi'fn  informed  (hat  ihe  Indian  nations  are    made  up  of 
^even  tribes.      Someof'iie  l-dians  have  tuld    me   so    thensselves. 
At'  '  they  are  taught  t->  'now  the  tribe  to  which   th.ev  beb'Og.     And 
<Tach  natiiiti  of  Indians  IS  made  up  of  the   bume  seven  tribes.      And 


379 

ilutna  Li'.iiiiiii  ni.;-i:  \ui\-y   in  I'v-jaT.'  iri'c  (o   which   h'e  bclons;^'. 
l^t'CJiuaP  they  o.re:Jaid  l.o  be  too  i'Cir  'i'  iin:.!  c(.!. 

i  Isave  hoen  told  by  some  of. the  iudiati?.,  that  the  law  of  the  na- 
ti<;ns  wtcaiii  pyjish  liiLMJ  with  dftilS;,  if  ihey  would  marry  in  tlio 
same  trii)e  to  ',vi;:c:>  [hey  beioi'jr-  .N;i\v.  she  law  of  the  Jews  did  iiol 
forbid  thpiii  to  iniinv  \v.  !he  snmt^  tdhf;  but  it  forbid  (hem  to  marry 
witidii  certain  (;e;.:rci'?  of  i'.)n;!r^'d.  Ajk!,  as  the  Irdianshad  no  Ci- 
b!c,  [  sni.p.s.\  ;■..;.::'  r;(;rc'->  of 'iaic.  tiiey  f(>rfi;(it  the  d('j;rei'^  oi 
kiii'iied,  a!ii-r  t^cv  r, ';•;■■  i-.:  A;-.;nca,  and  forbiti  their  people  to 
many  in  dn  n- ;)V.i;  ■'•;')e,  a-  Ui;::,i;- too  s;car  of  kindred. 

There  's,  wiih,  fh;Tii,  a  na'innai  Svindied,  a'^knov.iedgcd  atnong 
theoi,  as-.  Hi  fun-;;  :  f;-;-  li-oy  think  they  aii  came  fi-om  the.  same  quar- 
ter. A'Ki  •!;!■:•  :•,.  trciduion,  among;  tiie  Indians  (hit  live  abou-t 
the'il(!ckv  :,f  oviUiOii-.s.  that  ; heir  (orerctiicrs  cam.'  fi-cni  away  towiir»s 
the  8un--.r  1  tov.  a.'ii<  the  .Suo-ris-e;  and  that  it  was  a  journey  of  t'iir- 
tc^-n  iiio  >,;s.  Tills  ioforiontion  i-as  come  !o  o^ie  in  ?uch  a  w,;}-. 
tjiat  [have  no  doub?  fth-nu  it.  And  (Siis  aLCOiin'  scenis  to  a^;et' 
witli    that    giv.:'n    fro^n  R^di-;--.  above. 

I  hai'o  a  prtpcr  before  ine,  wliich  Iieceived  frora  a  friend,  '.vho 
sfcems  to  h.ave  hr.d  (  v.'ry  c'Kinre  to  be  correctly  ioformed  :  and 
wliich  I  take  as  con'a-ning  tlic  trui'n,  S(i  far  as  it  jyaes  on  the  srii.\it'.c''t 
of  the  national  kindred  of  the  L:dians.  Tiiis  j7aper  states  that  '*  Tlie 
Gherokees  take  precedence  of  rard;.  ;imong  the  four  nations  South  of 
the  Ohio,  by  long  acknowleds;ed  practice  in  all  tiationa!  proceedings 
between  tiie  said  four  natiuns.  The  Creeks  call  tlie  Cherokecs  llieir 
cider  brotlter.  Aod  tiie  Ciiorokees  call  rhe  Creek-;  their  younger 
brother.  The  Chpcokecs  call  ti  e  Ciioctaws  an  >  Chickasawa  t'ieir 
nephews,  cr  younger  brokers  :  that  i-^,,  yo'jr.ger  th.an  the  Creeks^ 
Aiid  the  Choctiiws  an<i  Cliickesaus  call  the  Clierukces  their 
elder  brother.  The  rardc  long  acknowledged  is  as  follows,  \iz. 
1.  The  Cherokees.  2  The  Creeks.  3.  The  Choctaus.  4.  Vhe 
©hickasaws.  "  Tids  shews  lii  it  th.reis  some  kiiid  of  a  coaMexiaa 
betv.'cen  them,  which  ihey  (iiiiik  i[ripo;ta.;t.  And  I  understand  tisat 
each  of  these  four  nations,  and  all  oilier  Indian  nations,  with  which 
these  four  are  acqiiainred,  Mre  osade  up  of  (he  same  seven  tribes,. 
And  it  may  be,  ihat  a  part  of  only  seven  of  the  -en  tribes  of  Israet 
CQtne  to  America.  For  the  whole  ten  iriues  are  said  to  be  now  in 
Hindostan, 

They  must  have  dei^euerated  very  much,  after  the  time  of  t!ie 
first  comers  to  Americu.  it  has  been  so  hmg:  smce  the  huuo's  weie 
raised  in  this  country.  th;3.t  the  ])resenl  race  (■findi.ims  know  :.{>!hi',ig 
about  it,  except  wlsat  tliey  have  receivKl  by  tii.ditioii  :  and.  per- 
haps, but  few,  at  tbis  liriie.  h.ne  much  of  that  iraditiou.     And,  }e(, 


*  380 

iliis  is  no  evi(lt-!icc  but  that  (hey  are  the  descendants  of  those  whu 
built  the  mounts. 

The  Spanish,  on  the  South,  the  British,  on  tlie- North,  and  the 
United  States,  on  the  East,  have  mt-t  them  at  the  A.tlantic  Ocean, 
nnd  are  herding  them  back  towards  Bhering's  Straits,  without 
thinking'  they  are  conducting  them  towards  Jerus.dem.  Yet,  I  think, 
God  intends  to  bring;  them  back,  by  the  way  they  came,  into  their 
own  land,  even  to  the  land  of  Israel. 

Jernssdejn  was  destroyed,  by  the  Romans,  about  the  year  70  of 
the  Christiiin  era;  and  the  house  of  Judah  was  dispersi>d  amon?  al! 
nations,  and  ha'*  remained  in  their  scattered  situ.itidii  until  now, 
fjuf  they  arp  to  be  sr^i'hered  and  restored  to  their  own  land  and 
country,  and  are  to  bejoitied  together  with  the  ten  tribe's  of  Israel, 
and  ail  shall  become  one  Government;  and  never  be  divided  again. 
See  K/.i^kel  ?>7.  16 — 22.  "  Moreover,  thou  son  of  man,  take  thee 
n:ip  stick,  and  write  upon  it.  For  Judaii,  and  for  the  c!ii!dren  of  Is- 
sae!  his  companioits  :  Tlien  fake  another  stick,  and  write  upon  it, 
For  Joseph,  the  stick  of  F^phraim,  and  for  all  the  house  of  Israel  his 
companions:  and  join  them  one  to  another  into  one  stick;  and  they 
shall  bpcon^e  one  in  thine  liand-  And  when  the  children  of  thy  peo- 
ple shall  spe-ik  unto  tl^ee,  saying,  Wi't  thou  not  sliew  us  what  thou 
p.ii^anest  by  the?e  ?  Say  unt'»  them  thus  saith  the  Lord  God  ;  Be- 
hold I  will  take  the  stick  of  Joseph,  which  is  in  the  hand  of  Kpliraim, 
and  the  tribes  orisrat^l  his  fellows,  and  will  put  them  with  him.  even 
with  the  stick  of  Judah,  ar.d  inake  them  one  slick,  and  they  shall 
be  one  in  thine  hand.  And  the  sticks  wherecm  thou  writest  s'nall 
hi"  in  th.ine  hand  befiu'e  their  eyes.  And  say  unto  them.  Thus  saith 
the  Lord  God  ;  Behold,  I  will  take  the  children  of  Israel  from 
among  the  Iv-aihen,  whithei  they  be  gone,  and  will  gather  them  on 
everv  side,  and  bring  them  into  tlieir  own  land  :  and  I  will  make 
them  (.ne  nation  in  tiie  land  upon  the  mountains  of  Israel  ;  and  one 
kinjf  siiall  be  king  to  them  all  :  and  thev  shall  no  more  be  two  na- 
tions, neithier  shall  they  be  divided  into  two  kingdoms  any  more  at 
all."  See.  also,  Isaiah  14.  I— S.  and  Zpch.  8.  12—14  Both  speak 
of  the  house  of  Ivrapl,  and  say  they  >^hall  he  brought  back  info  their 
own  land,  in  the  plainest  manner.  But  Zechaiiah  names  both  the 
house  of  Jr.iiah  anil  the  house  of  Israel,  and  promises  thf-m  tha'  'he 
ground  s'nall  give  her  increase,  the  seed  shall  b(^  prosperous,  the 
vine  shidl  g-i^e  her  fruit,  and  the  heavens  shall  sjive  their  dew  :  aod 
the  remnant  td  this  n<M>ple  shall  possess  all  Miese  things.  No  words 
c<)uld  bi^  plainer  than  the  woids  of  the  Bible  are,  to  shew  that  Judah 
and  Israel  shall  yet  be  brought  ti»' k  in'n  their'own  country. 

But  the  hoiise  of  Juda'>  shall  be  brnujrht   home  first  ;  and  the 
house  of  Israel  afterwards.    Zechariah  12,  ?>  says — The  Lord,  also.? 


381 

sii;ill?ave  tlie  touts  ofju'-iali  i'ic'^t,  that  t\\c  ^^hr,-y  ofihe  hivrsc  of  J);i- 
'Vul,  and  Uie  glory  of  the  isiiiiibitants  of  Jei-adntpin,  do  not  lua;;;--*!'^ 
tlioinselves  against  Jiu!a!i.  Christ  came  of  the  tribe  of  Judah;  where- 
fore, God  intends  to  k<>pp  Judah  head,  and  first,  or  rurfimnst  of  all 
(he  twelve  tribes  of  Israel.  -  Zech.  10.  3—6.  And  they  will  ht* 
brought  first  into  their  own  lanii.  And,  v/lien  they  do  return,  Ju- 
dah  and  Israel  shall  return  full-handed.  Isuiah  6.0.  9,  says,  "Sure- 
ly the  isles  shall  wait  for  nse,  and  the  ships  of.  Tar«hish  first,  to 
bring  thy  ?on3  from  :'m\  tlieir  silver  arid  their  gold  with  them,  u.  to 
the  name  of  the  Loid  thy-Gnd,  and  to  the  holy'nnc  of  Israel,  becatise 
he  hath  ji/iori{ied  thee. "  There  are  so  many  places  in  ihe  B:b'!?, 
that  speak  of  this  return  of  the  Jeu-s  to  their  own  country,  that  it 
would  swell  this  work  too  much  to  quote  them.  Yet,  what  has  now 
been  sai;]  Mill  appear  more  fully  confirmed  before  this  work  «s  done. 
Judah  and  ismel,  bi^ir>2;  scattered  liriO!i'i;!ii  ail  countries,  and  so 
many  governments  standinp;  in  their  way,  seem  to  have  their  return 
to  their  own  land  rendered  very  improbable,  and  their  case  hopsM'ss 
indeed.  But  God  can  turn  the  power  of  all  those  surrounding-  O-  >- 
ernnirnts  in  their  favor  to  help  tlieni  home  j  and  he  can  remov  .  .  •.  c- 
ry  difficulty  out  of  the  way.  And,  in  proportion  to  the  greatac'^s  of 
the  difficnitips  to  be  overcome,  so,  in  proportion,  will  the  name  of 
n:j;!  be  ma!^::;':^''  in 'he,  vjew  ;'f  €.!■  i-inRr?  si!rri)ur!(jinp;  ii;ttinT\s.  It  will 
be  an  event  k!io\yh  to  ail  nation^,' -.nd  all  v\iU  be  rilled  with  wonder 
and  aniazeiiieat,  and  v.-iil  ast-ribe-lt  all  to  €sod. 

The  Torks  .are  now  in  p'!Ssessiyn  of  .rernp'dem,  and  of  all  the 
land  of  Ju'iidi  ?n'.]  of  Israel.  But  God  wi<l  open  the  way  for  all  to 
return  home,  v^dth  son^s,  and  everlasting  joy  upon  (heir  head«.  Or, 
at  least,  after  they  get  home,  or  return  to  their  own  land,  they  shall 
oomeuptoZion  with  songs,  and  everlasting;  jwy  upon  their  heads. 
See  Isciiah  35.  10.  Zi^-heriali  14.  4,  5,  SAj-i — ^Tbe  Lord's  "feet 
shaiV  stand  in  th'at  day  iqi^sn  the  mount  of  Olives,  which  is  befoi-e  J.  - 
rusnlem  on  the  Kast  ^  and  the  mount  of  Olives  shall  cleave. in  t'i© 
niidxt  thereof  toward  tli'e'Ea-^t  aful  toward  tne  V'v'efit,  and  thei:e  shall 
be  a  very  gri^iit  valley;  ;-nd  !ia!f  of  fiie  in;.uiat:v!n  shall  remove  to- 
v.%'ird  tliC  N';ru!,  aiui  half  of  it  tov/a-rd  tlie  Soath.  Xnd  ve  shall  ties 
t^  th«  va'tey  '-f  the  mountiiin.s  ;  for  the  yallevof  !he  mountains  «hai'. 
r^-uch  unto  Azid."  •  Tins  mOiintaln  is  a  represeritabien  of  the  (iov- 
e- iinet\t,  or  povver,  or  il!i'li'.;Ufty,  that  siarjds  in  tii«' way  of  the  re' 
tf^fflR"  Jiuhth  :in! -Israel  to  thetr  own  land.  But  God  will  sot  his 
f  f  IV  !  i  ■'■■,1  ;''sver;;:n::ii<^,  n!;wer»  or  difticyity,  and' ref^iove  it  o'-t 
(,[ '.he  v.'ay  :  ?y>  that  i'.e 'v;;l  open  i'nv.  wav  l^^last  anvl  .We^t,  s);i';<!'!i 
like  a  valley,  ru'd  ihe'Jews  shall  ilee  to  the  vdlley,  and  c.-.^nie  s;)eed- 
ily  to  their  own  cou airy,   :V.)m  all  parts  of  iiio  world,    and  Uk-  m-i- 


3S2 

session  aarlVive  thire,  Iwtxing  much  cs-ttie  and  gaods,  aud  silver 
arui.  ojui-,,!  ui  abaiuUijce.  ■  Tiies«  cattle  arul  <j;\.{)il^,  silver  and  goul, 
will  I),  [(jinpiincf  tu  ihi^  nations  aroutjd  the  land  of  Judoa.  Aui!, 
also,  the  Turks  vvil!  wish  to  tnke  back  the  Jewish  country  agai^;. 

WhpreCore,  while  the  Jfvvs  are  apparently  weak,  and  in  a  du" 
fenceless  siturttion,  livir.g  securely,  orthou<ih'.!essly,  without  wallj, 
or  bars,  or  gates,  for  the  defence  and  security  of  their  Gountry,  the 
Turks,  or  Ma«o?2:,  the  Chief  Prince  of  M-shech  and  Tubal,  will  form 
a  terrible  combination  of  all  the  surrounding  nations,  and  will  come 
up  with  a  mighty  c<ipj-!;uiy,  gathered  from  wany  nations  roun<l.  nb(>ut : 
they  shall  oscend  and  roine  up  like  a  storm,  and  be  like  a  cloud, 
gat*'er*'d  from  ;dl  quarters,  to  cover  the  land  :  ti.ey  will  come  up 
ca'culatino;  on  a  conqnest  certain,  and  an  easy  prey.  And  it  will 
be  evident  that  their  object  will  be  to  fake  a  spod  and  to  take  a 
prey,  t0,-take  awav  cattle  and  goodsj  to  take  away  silver  and  gr.]',\ 
to  fake  a  great  spoil,-  Ar.d  the  balance  of  the  world  that  may  not 
be  pa>ticularly  engaged  in  it,  will  be,  as  it  were,  looking  on  ;  and 
■some  will  be  leaning,  with  all  the  feelings  of  anxiety,  for  Judah  and 
Israel;  hut  ahnost  ready  to  despair  of  their  deliveraiice  :  while 
oth«>rs  will  wish  .they  ciuld  be  there  to  take  a  share  of  the  spoils. 
All  the  eyes  of  the  world  being  in  this  wav  directed  to  Jerusalem  at 
the  tifne,  \v]\'  be  ready  to  ^er>  tlie  hnnd  of  the  A-n)iuhty  God,  snatcli 
the  prey  from  the  laws  of  the  litm. 

"•Thus  saith  tlseLiTfl  Got!,  Behold,  i  ain  ag  dnst  thee,  O  Gog, 
the  chief  nrince  of  Meshech  and  Tu!)al  ;  and  I  v/ill  turn  thee  back, 
and  put  honks  in  thy  jaws,  ajidWill  ^riuir  thee  fortli,  and  all  thine 
army,  horses  and  horsemen,  all  of  tjtera  r.lothed  will  all  sorts  of  ar- 
mour, even  a  great  company  w'hh  bucklers  and  shield**,  all  of  Ihcni 
handling  swords  :  Persia.  E'Mnrrta  and  Libia  wiU)thetn  ;  ail  offhcm 
wiih  siviibi  and  helnu't:  Gomcr,  anrfai!  Itffe  bands  ; the  bouse  of  To- 
^armaofthe  north  quarters,  aod  all  his  bands  ;  and  many  people 
wi'ii  thee. "- 

Neveriludess,  ''turn  you  to  the  stro  ng-hoi  1.  ye  prisoners  ot 
h■:;pe•^J^<^v■en;to-day  c'o  I  dt'clare,  tha*;  I  will,  rend. t  d;!ub'e  unto 
thee  5  wheo  1  have  bent  Judah  fur.  me,  filled  the  b^>w  wid>  Ephrjim, 
and  laised  up  thy  so»>s.  O.  Zion,  against  thy  sons-  ()  Greece,  and 
made  thet-  as  tl;e  swnnl  <>f  a  miglity  man.  \t)d  the  Lord  sh;ili  be 
sect!  over  titem,  and  his  arrow  «hf»ilg(;  forth  ?.s  the  Htrhthing  :a"^.the 
Lord  God  .shall  blow  the  truntpet.  an;!  shall -<£o  wi?':r^•\c  ^^''^"IMk^'' 
oftiie  S(»yih.'     I'tre  Lord.wf  bf«a*rslml|  ;  nrxi  th(3(PWi.iU 

devour,  and  Subline  widi  jilmg^torips  ;  ajjjftljey  shall  drioky  and 
ir.ak(v»  noise  a-«  ihtou'^h  wim-."  Ze -ii.  9-  l'-2 — -15.  -Thtt^.' Gnd  Is 
!tpro.-.ented  as  t'lu  defender  of  Israel  :  Me   iiglits  the  battle  ;   He 


S8S 

makes  .liulah  the  bt>w  and  Isi-ael  the  arrows  ;  He  direcls  tlic  bilt-e: 
?;•'  b'oivs  th;'  t !•!;■■.;■,? r,   and    •^•oqS   r>rti;,    like    a  u'hii-KTind,   in  the 

•■■•  Aad  I  wili  call  for  a  s.wovd  a3;ainst  htm  (Ma;fo«;)  thrau<^l!oat 
;;li  !uy  iiioirntaios,  sailh  iUe  Lur.i  G:ui  :  evftry  mruTs  sword  s!i;iil  be 
i>;^ai!ist  hi^  bio'h^r.  A(id  1  w'u'.  pU-ad  ag  iost  hitn  widi  pes'ileiice 
;it!:i  \vi;h  bl'Mid  f  diid  i  .will  r A  n  .M-,n  hiui  and  upon  his  banr')-?,  and 
ii;)';n'fh- »ai''Pv- iv::Ti!\>  that  or-  -n'.  lun^J,  an  over-lowuig  rain,  aud 
-real  hM  ;-,..•>,  -^  .•   ;-!!>;-:.,:...-."      iCy^ekiel    33.  21,  :2^. 

^'  And  i!U;^,  -:;  M'  ^>:'  '■'.  .:  ■  :■;■' \v!ie^-<;;  Vita  (iic  Ijord  v\-I:!  senile 
ii'l  the  ppopir  t --  h:i^v  ['■-■■  '  .^diist  Jeriii^alem  ;  their  fie-:h  ^•'Kdl 
couHUiVie  awii^iVih'ic  th'"\  -  i'>di.;p')n  t'lelr  feet,  nuil  t'leir  eyes  shall 
con^iirne -iuvav  •'' f'' ::;•  ijuirr.-,  a.:d  t'i^  ir  t:r'!;;^U2  shaii  consuine  away 
i-i.  ?h*;ir  moi;;  ."  ■  Ai>-'  ti  -'kjI'!  c«;;!;e  to  ji.'ss,  in  th  :l  day,  that  a 
gr'!:!-'  tUDHdi  tVtj;ii  the  [;■!':)  s')--;!!  !v  :..'  •  thsM)  ;  and  tliej  shall 
!,iv  h ''-'  :'■  '--:.  :^' !•  •^•'  :'-^.        -'  !!'  !:;-,  ;.    .,.,,.,;  jr.  iind   his  hand  s'lafl 

in  tiii.  vv.:y.,'sh^ii:  :  li  i  ;ii!  his  co'iipany.  be  overthrowa, 

even  if  .ill  !h\    >\:i-d  >  ;  ^^   ■'  -'^'^'   him  ;   and  his  bow  shall 

be  ■' ^  \i::-v\,  uud  hi:?  a:ri)>v3  shali  fail   oi.it  of  his 

••  Anrl  thou  s'wii  fill  upon  tho  !n!>',!:'.^iin-;  vS  Israel,  thou,  and 
ail  thy  bai^lri,  /ridtiic  people  t'lat  ii\ni  ;';iiOe:  i  \v\l\  give  thee  unto 
the  :avt'!K)^'S  hird^^nl  evrrv  s,<!-i,  ansi  to  (lie  beast?  of  the  field  to  he 
d;:v>;!i!ca. "  -•  O^diold,  ii  Iv  c'iiiv,',  ;;/:■;.!*  i:-  djUii,  i-aith  the  Lord 
God  ;   this  is  th;-  div   ^^'ht'rru^  !  hnve  ppidvcn, " 

Seven  yi'iu'S  Hi  e  t-.i  Ise.  speul,  l>y  t'se  acjoininj.^  cide*  of  Israel, 
ill  burnitjs;  the  i.'ipieinenis  of- war  :  :\--:i\  they  siuiil  n;)t  iearn  wp.r  ar)y 
iTiitre,  after  t'..;?  is  over.  Ard  seven  ui  >nth^\vid  b'^-^pefit  in  Dury- 
ing  tile  tiead  t.ii  t.^e  armies  of  ?=:!a5:;rg-,  ^i^at  will  be  siain  up.Mi  die 
mountains  of  .Israel.  And  tlie  place  \vo:-.;-''  Vi-iy  >h''!l  be  bn'-if'd, 
shall  be  cajled  the  valley  of  0,aiT.nn-G  ■  >.  :  -u  '  ;  iv  >vdjir;.idi^  of 
Go<j;.  This  is  to  be  a  time  of  troi;bi:',  ^i;-  ';  '  ^ir  ■.-  •■.o-,  -rice  tht^re 
■was  a  natifin  on  earth,  until  thot  tir;;.?.  Dnii.  ! -^  i,  i-  is  a  (iaie 
V.  iien  God  ifit?nds  to  get  to  hiinsdf  a  <n-eaf  ?iame,  and  be  knowti 
threu'diout  all  die  earth,  when  the  nations  shall  be  thus  broken  wsdi  a 
rod  of  iron,  and   dashed   i'j  pi"res   like  -t  potter  ^5  vessel. 

Aldioti^h  O.-ibylaniis,  in  f'lMm-r  times.  I'.as  s  ifft'red  severe  and 
terribie  judgment*  from  Gid  ;  i3ahvion.  ttie  <^'  ;ry  of  kinfrdorns,  and 
tire  ttKau'v  of  tl>e  Cliatdee's  exceilencv.  having  i;-.;  n  inn^'^ince  over' 
thiown  ;  yi't  vrfU' tr  calamitit-s  refnain  for  her  vei  to  suf*>r, 

Cha'di-.-  's,  n---,  a  pirt  of  di-  Tislcish  dom  ^ions  i;i  \si  )  ;  and 
will  be,  lierealter,  usvoived  in  me   dreadful  catastrophe  of  Magog- 


o«4 

ix]iu  liin  c^;u;i•i:l.iuu^.  And,  liu^n,  1m;io1,  uhen  they  are  at  rest  in 
^licir  ov.jj  land,  s-hall  tcike  upthrs  jj.  ove!i>,i)^;?!ii-^t  the  kinc'-  ♦•  of  JLi- 
bjioi:,  am!  say,  ho.'  li.iih  (he  opprt'ssor  ceu>cu  .'  tl)e  Gol(ii;a  Ciiv 
ctascti  !  He:l  (unn  beneath  is  ini-vcc!  lor  thee  to.tneei  thee  at  thy 
ciiUiiHg;. "  I-'ii-li  14.  w--C.>.  Art!.  I  suspeci,  ihe  >anie.  pnvofij 
inayiie  takon  upag:ii'iht  A*Sj'na;,.:!i)ii  iii1  theuih?  r  nKti-iMs  ,hut  havo 
had  aluUid  iiitheup^scvsioii  uf  Uv-^iyJ.  Fnr  (Iiih  i-^  -he  nnrposo  iht-it 
i^  piirpcseu  Uj,>ori  tbe  vjiiJe  eiMii  ;  aiid  'hir  ss  ;hc  hund  that  is 
hl^etcheji  (iutti|oon  all  the  na  ions.    Iss.iaii  J4.  ^^4—-i~, 

The  prophecies,  in  thf  ;')-2n<l  chiiuter  oC  KA,.t;i,-!,  will  be  com- 
pleted m  ihe  buir!;-  of  \t.;g:.v:.  ^n  refvrenet  m.  th^  »«!(  of  lili^vpt, 
A-S^hur,  F/ram, -Mcshech,  TiiOdi,  K('<H(i,  Zid  !,'  ■  :  -1-1  the  n';.;i..,n 
round  aboui,  .   Foi ,  alihi.tg- a!!  tlio^f  i.a  Vi  '  I'-f  ;e(  tei!  hlc 

judgments  u![-ca(!y.    yet  tliey  ssro  to  sutiVr  f   ••  ,      o-  ;!»<!' invMits 

if;  fhe.^yeri'hrow  of  M;.!;o'r,  uh.ep.    '  '    •,';  >  -;.)v^  t)  t<>  in  li,  t>r   to 

ptipeiUiil  ^ilt■l/<  r,  vi<  i  ti  :;;;a!r;  Vu  f  X  fisU'^.  ;;;    thri!    f,)ianT 

siJi.tit  and  tu^iuuis.  .  Far  :h  •,  ai!  !i)i!-i  ve!  btcdue  the  kuiir-Niias  of 
Chil.'. 

This  ba't!*'  (.  .  .  -akts  if)  all   thi:>  battles  tlsal  are 

evir  ver  to  b<'  fougiit  ui  lu- vvoi  !u  aftei  its  cimuienceinant.  Tii'.'te 
wv-  bf  n<*  baUie  fou^h*  by  Gn;r  nr.d  Mf;  .';cg  dU-.-v  {\\f.  Miitehniuru  is 
oir  ;  but  firi- will  deitti  ■;.  r;,e  ;  .  ;: .  sh:-.!!  be  s!i>'vva  herea'ter.  See 
}4ev.  2U.  8,  9. 

"  Evciy  bii'tie  of  ;iie  w..;:-:  :■■  ;-  w  ■->  .^  :•  :n1  noise,  and  p;ar- 
monrsrolivd  isilslwod."  Isiiu  [).  5.  But.  Iti  t'lis  batsie,  '•  Be- 
'hoid  the  Ltud  will  coiv.e  \*it!i^firo,  aiid  with  '»is  chariots  like  a  v.hii!- 
wiiid,  to  rf-nuer  ids  u;!g-.?r  with  fury,'  and  his  rebuke  with  .fiani">=  o 
fire.  For,  by  fire,  and  by  his  swoni.  wil!  thi^  Lord  .  li^^d  wif  all 
fle^^h,  :  and  the  slain  of  the  Lord  shall  be  rnany."  I-^niah  G6.  15,  1  6. 
Ai;d  tlius  the  harvest  and  vintage  will  be  cotnplSetely  gathered,  and 
war  biiull  loi    '■    r  cease 

JEWS  TO  BECOME  CMHISTIAWS. 

After  al!  the  Juri^;uien^.,  that  have  be^  n  ilneatened,  shall  have 
been  compietely  fuTiih-d  up  .;;  ail  those  nati.dis,  in  th«}  overr-.row  f 
Mae/.)^,-,  then  the  L'^rft  will  st.id,  of  Uu):^e  that  «^scape  oi  then>,  unto 
the  naiions,  (o 'I'aisliish,  Ful.and  L'td,  ibat  dr.iv\  the  liow.  to  I  u- 
bal,  and  .Vav.m,  to  the  l«^i<'s  afar  o^:.  and  t!iey  siiall  declare  lii^  (doi y 
air.opo  the  Gentiles.     See  Naiah  fitl     [5 — 19. 

ThehiUieoi  this^  dttle  iviii  Ue  circulated  every  wiiegfi&'and 
mankind  will  be  conviu -ed  fi  at  God  haih  \  vori'd  I-r.ii,  aectrt-din^ 
to  i'ts  wort!  j  and  the^  will  ee  that  tlu-r-'  is  no  G  d  !'  e  untpthe  Gi'd 
of  Israel,  i»nd  no  luition  like  unto  <h;i(  whic"'  1' i  L  u'  '■  .  t'  •!-■•  n. 
All  nations  will  tlven  see,  '•  that  God  hath  not  cast  away  his  j^eople," 


385 


*•  but,  that  blindness,  iiv  part,  had  luipptMied  to  Israel,  until  tin:  !ul- 
ness'-  ul"  the  GoiitiU'S  be  coins  in.  And  so  a!!  Ssmci  shall  be  s;tvfU." 
Israel,  having  been  galht'TcM!  iiilo  their  ov.  n  iaiul,  as  in  liaiuh  11. 
10—^16,  and,  under  Gud,  become  the  couijuerors  td  the  world,  in  the 
battle  of  Gog  ami  M.igoj;,  (hey  will  lake  I'u-  spod  ot  thuho  aimics, 
which  will  be  a  great  ^pi'ii.  -^  Fur  iixj  s'.e:i!;;i  .  f  :i!l  the  heathen 
round "ab-.jut,  s'ha'.i  be  gathered  togcilitu',  gold,  and  siiver,  and  nppa- 
rei,ingre;Vfabund-incc."  See  Zc-Js.  14.  14.  "And  they  shall 
build  the  (!;'!  wasa-;,  tl.ej  sh;id  riil^eui-  the  fi^i  me:-  de^iol-iliifUi,  and 
the-v  shall  tei.iuir  ii,e  waste  cinet^,  the  dcsolatiouS  ol  niany  g*Mera- 
lions."     Is.'.iah  Gl.  4. 

But  now  the  tiine  is  coiVic,  "s'^'er  that  b-.;  He  1^-  <;\  C!\  U)  '_i\ ;■<:_  iin 
house  of  Judah  asid  Israel  into  t;;e;r  fi^o.;d  (sliie  nee,  the  Cuiiblian 
Chu.fch  ;  (di-  it  is  tiie  ^mrie  Ch.urc's  as  the  Jewish  Cuureh,  or;i\-  un- 
der anolher  diipe:is:u;-.:n.  God  16  al>le  ij  grate  v!,ei:i  u  -gum. 
Reud  Rfiai.  I  Uh  -hjp' er.  And  God  has  pioiaised  to  gidice  liienj 
out  of  all  countries  into  tiieii-  own  land  ;  and  i;e  i'.,\y'^ — •-  'I'iien  wdl 
1  sprinkle  eleai)  water  upon  you,  arid  ye  siiall  be  clean;  frum  all 
your  filthiness  and  from  ;;il  your  ido's,    will  [  cleaisse  you.     A  new 


•t  also  will    i   give 


a'.;d  a  iscw  spirit  will  I  put  widdn  yoti 


live 


and  I  will  take  away  t^ie  Bto:.y  Iveart  out  ol  your  fiesh,,  aut'  I  will 
give  y...;  ;in  heart  of  flesli-"  See  Ezefe.  36.  24 — 26.  This  is 
t,;e  ■j.u.iy  as  Ij^in;;  "•  born  of  \v:;t,,T,  tu;d  of  ihe  Soi/it. "  John  3  5. 
Or  heiog  b  ,p:iz:'d  witii  wutvT,  and  b  ;rn  of  die  Spirif.  In  t\:\i  way, 
■•■  l:_;  ee  ;:;:Mft.ei!  in'o  iheir  :,1;  ie  tree,  and  be  Chrisii.ins. 
ia  ih:A  \l^y  G-.ad  .iie  Lied  (.lefend  tise  mhabi'-iuts  cf  J^rusa- 

■Mn  A  thai  d;i7  shaS'  b-as  Da-id; 
J'  s  lite  angel  of  die  Lo^'d 
!  p-n;;.  in  ;1:  :  da^',  that  I  will 
coioe  i':->;:e.-  .;e<";saieia.  And 
:-  i  -  -'  •  he  ;ao  ^bii.nds  of  Je- 
-■''  ■•'  ■  -oas  ;  anh  *  ev  sh^dl 
:  ...,  .:ne  they  ^hdl:  ujoum  for 
:  •.  '  .1  siull  be  in  bitterne:-.s  for 
i!!^  :;.:^t  b.:.>-n.  i  ;  inji  d-_>  si. ere 
:n!.asi:'e  rnoumino  of  fLidad- 
'  Se,'Z:  >h-  12.  b-ll.  See, 
st  vers  ■  ftdys — "  For,  behold,  in 
those  days,  and  in  thai  t'une,  when  i ->  la'l  bnog  again  rhf'  capdvitx' 
of  Judah  and  Jerusaleia,"  2d  ve.se,  •'  i  w "i  ais<»»utiier  ali  natntns, 
an:!  will  b;i  vg  theui  do-vn  i,i'M  the  ■a.ii.y  o.:'  jeh-^di  ;iphau  und  will 
pl.Md  withtoroi  the>e  for  my  pioide  and  for  ;ny  heritage  Israel, 
whom  They  have  soattered  amon^tiie  nations,  and  parted  my  laiid." 


leia 

:  a!i 

1  he  t 

hat 

is  i 

■J'^.'  L 

line 

;  i  o' 

anii 

the 

iOUaC 

of 

JJ:;' 

■id 

s;i 

ili  ! 

before  tl 

snn. 

-\e 

:,1 

.•■)•. 

se 

seek 

toe 

ei-i'ioy  a 

■    ; 

JOS 

dl:-. 

1    VVI 

'■  -^ 

Ui       l.^' 

■•n  • 

••) '. 

se 

ofl 

)e, 

rusal 

e  0, 

the 

spi 

rit 

ce 

io:t 

look 

upon  me 

wh 

T.; 

1 

:-ve 

]''< 

him, 

a ,  ■■ 

me  oi 

hia^. 

as  o;x  >!: 

-L    . 

,  i;: 

.^'1 

.  :., 

shall 

be 

-e; 

hn 

„"  ' 

:  Je 

U  ^i 

rial.. 

1  '  ^: 

ey 

■.,! 

:a 

J  .;  :  d 

:  :0 

also. 

Jj;- 

1,  Uie 

3(1 

eh. 

IJtL 

r. 

'ih 

18  fl 

GG 


"ill  vc';>e.  •'  iienuld,  I  will  raisi.'  them  out  of  tlio  place  whillur  y<-' 
have  sola  (iieiii,  and  Vvill  return  your  rcc(impenge  upon  your  own 
head."  l-^ih  verse.  '•'  Let  the  healiien  be  Wdkened,  and  come  up 
;o  the  viillej  of  Jehoshaphat  :  for  there  will  i  sit  to  judge  all  tUt; 
heathe!!  umiul  about."  15(h  ver;;e.  '•'  Put  ye  in  the  sickle,  for  the 
iiarveii  ij>  i  ipe  :  come,  get  you  dowij^  for  the  press  i;-  full,  the  (uts 
overil  u  ;  f:n-  their  wickedness  is  great."  I4th.  '•  MuliitudeP, 
r.juitiiudes  to  the  valley  of  decision  :  for  the  day  of  the  Lord  is 
j'.ear  ia  the  valley  of  decision."  16th.  "  The  licrd  also  -■ail  \o^<: 
uiit  of  Z-ioM,  and  utter  his  voice  from  Jerusalem  ;  and  the  hoiivtiis 
and  the  earth  sh:Jl  shake  :  but  the  Lord  \vi!l  be  the  hope  of  hi:;  peo- 
ple, und  the  ?treiigtli  oi  the  children  oi  Israel."  17th.  "  So  ^lu-ll 
ye  i;:iovv  that  i  am  the  Lord  your  God  dwelling  in  Zion,  my  hn'? 
mountain  :  Then  shall  Jerusalem  be  holy,  and  there  shall  no  standi, 
ers  pass  through  her  any  mure." 

This  whole  cliapter  of  Joel,  agrees  well  wiih,  and  proves 
true,  what  has  heretofore  been  said.  The  decision  of  the  contest 
:;\kes  place  after  the  return  of  the  Jews  into  their  own  land  ;  the 
•-ontest  is  t!ie  harvest  and  vintage  ;  for  it  is  expressed  by  Joiin  and 
J  -cl  in  the  sante  manner.  And,  after  it  is  over,  Jerusalem  is  to  be 
mV.  For  then  is  the  time  for  the, spirit  of  grace  and  supplications. 
■  '  be  poured  out  upon  the  house  of  David  and  upon  the  itihabitants 
.,i    Jcrr.salem,   according  to  Zechariah. 

Ain-i  they  shall  look  upon  him  whom  they  have  pierced,  and 
mourn.  TiuMj  is  the  time  for  the  people  of  Israel  to  become 
Ghristian.S;  and  not  before.  For  the  wicked  shall  do  wickedly  until 
this  ball'e  is  over  ;  because  this  battle  must  be  fought  while  the 
wicked  will  do  wickedl}',  for  it  never  can  he  foi;-i,ht  after  the  wicked 
cease 'vO  do  wickedly. 

And  I  think  and  trust  that  this  battle  will  be  over  by  the  time 
the  first  GO  years  arc  out,  from  the  fall  of  the  Beast.  For,  it  ap- 
pears to  me,  that  then  is  the  time  for  the  wicked  to  begin  to  cease  to 
do  wickedly.  See  Danl.  12.  10,  11.  Duniel  appears  to  mean,  that 
the  wicked  will  do  Vvickedly  until  the  1290da)*s.  or  years,  are  out, 
which  is  30  years  after  the  fall  of  the  Beast  ;  for  the  Beast  was  to 
reign  only  1260  years.  Although  son>e  few  individual  Jews  and  Is- 
raelites havi%  and  may  yet,  become  Christians  before  this  battle  is 
ended  ;  yet,  I  have  no  hope  that  ihe\,  as  a  nation  of  people,  will 
become  Christians,  until  after  that  battle.  It  may  be,  that  the  cir- 
cumstances of  their  return,  and  of  this  battle,  and  of  their  bt  coming 
planted  in  their  own  land,  shall,  hereafter,  be  a  great  and  p(;wer- 
ful  argument,  under  God,  for  making  them  undeistand  their  own 
Prophets  ;  and  for  convincing  them   that  he  who  was  to  come,  ac- 


cordin'-  U)  tli;-.ii'ovvn  Prophets,  lias  really  long  since  come:  and  ('n.!! 
!ai  V  r,e.:!l  tiot  look  any  longer  for  another  Saviour.  When  they  shall 
bi  (>limti.'!l  in  tlieir  own  land,  and  after  this  battle,  they  iiiav  be  con- 
vinced that  tlie  nuiubeiS  of  Daniel  are  out,  as  they  were  to  b<-,,  betui.^. 
the  Sanctuary  should  be  cleansed.  But  the  numbers  of  Daniel 
were  to  bL'gin  only  70  weeks,  or  490  prophetic  years,  before  tlieir 
Mes.VLah's  death  ;  and  they  can  conclude,  therefore,  he  must  have 
alroadv  come.  And,  from  their  return  home,  and  the  time  when 
the  Sanctuary  shall  begin  to  be  improved,  in  its  clcansnig. 
by  their  bec^oming  Christians,  perhaps,  tliey  may  be  able  to  count 
back,  and  ascertain  exactly  \vh<'ui  their  Messiah  really  did  come. 

Bat,  whenever  this  battle  is  ended,  then,  directly,  the  Spirit  of 
Grace  and  Supplications  shall  begin  to  be  poured  out  upon  them  ; 
and  they  shall  l<;ok  upon  him  whom  they  have  pierced. .and  mourn. 
And  then  tiie  time  will  be  come,  when  they,  as  a  nation,  shall  be- 
gin to  be  sprinkled  with  clean  water,  or  baptized  with  tiie  Ch.ristian 
baptism,  and  admitted  as  members  into  the  Christian  Church.  And 
then  will  be  the  time  for  gathering  in  the  fullness  of  the  Gentile 
world  ;  which  is  certainly  a  great  and  mighty  work  :  for,  bb;  ■.: 
ihree-fourlii:;  of  the  world  are  Pagaas,  living  witi-out  God  iiuC,  wi:!,- 


out  hope. 


THE   NmX.T  45  TJSARfi  OF  CI^EAFSIFG  THE 


€! 


After  the  first  30  years  are  ended,  from  the  fall  of  the  Bi.ast, 
there  arc  45  years  inore,  to  the  beginning  of  the  Millennium.  During 
this  period,  the  cleansing  of  the  Sanctuary  will  progress  more  rapidly. 
The  prospects  of  tlie  wicked,  will  have  received  such  a  downsetting 
in  the  battle  of  Goganel  Magog,  that  they  will  have  no  hope  cfsuccess 
in  there  wicked  purposes;wherefore, the  wicked  will  begin  to  cease  to 
do  wickedly, and  turn  these  attention  upon  objects  and  pursuits  more 
praiseworthy  ;  having  learned  a  lesson,  from  their  disappointment; 
never  to  be  forgotten;  and  which  they  had  never  learned  so  well,  from 
ai!  previous  disappointments;  and  never  could  be  tauglit  in  more  fa- 
vourable circumstances. 

While,  on' tlie  olher  hand,  all  the  friends  of  peace,  honesty, 
and  truth,  ail  over  tiie  world,  will  feel  their  hands  strengthened. 
and  there  liearts  encoura'^ed,  and  stimulated  in  every  good  word 
and  work.  All  the  benfvolent  societies  and  institutions,  will  have 
spread  v^'ider,  and  extended  further  in  the  world;  and  will  have  be- 
come stronger,  and  much  more  etllcient.  And  all  tlie  means  of  do- 
ing go.id,  and  of  extending   the  real  truth  of  the  Gospel  over  the 


388  ■ 

woriii.  will  be  put:  in  rf<iui3i!i(>n.  Atid  tht,  ignora'.;ce,  bi^olrj,  i^cif- 
ishness,  and  loiio^  sauctiiit'd  errors  and  falschoodg  of  parties  and  stcts. 
in  Church  or  State,  vviil  no  longer  set  up  their  fronts,  li>  sucli  hostile 
array  asainstlhe  real  truth  ol'ilieGospel.  And  the  real  trutli  of" the 
Gitspel  will  be  understood  much  more  readiij,  and  can  be  circulated 
nw.ch  mure  speedily,  v.hen  it  shall  be  stripped  of  f'  '^  <*  •■  ■•  thoisfaiid 
doania?,    with    uiiich   it  lias  been    Iccade-d  b}    u,.  ^dcrians, 

and  which  have  no  foundation  in  the  Bible.  Wiiiie  all  Christian 
denominations  will  come  nearer  to  se'^  eyero  eye:  and  will  cmr.e  at) 
much  the  nearer, combining  tiier^'  inPiuence  in  s^preai'ing  t!  c  Go-pei.in- 
stead  of  remaining,  sn  much  like  a  great  b.inise  in  liie  vvorkl.  divided 
against  itself.  In  all  i!ie.-;e  particulars,  great  iniprovenicnts  may  be 
expected,  and  great  good  will  be  done3  in  cleansing  the  SatiCtuary, 
and    reforming  the   woild,  wh.enever  circumstances  will  adu.it. 

Bu',  when  the  Jews  and  Israelites  sliall  become  a  Christiau 
ni{ior!,the  real  Christians  among  them  will  be  nusncrous,  anil  thty 
will  make  speedy  improvements  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel. 
And,  when  th^y  shall  become  prepared  witii  a  willing  mind,  and 
a  competent  knowledge  of  the  Gospel,  they  will  make  t!)e  most 
exciiieni  Missionaries  in  the  world.  They  are,  row,  and  will  be, 
acqiaiDtetl  with  the  langu^'.ges  of  all  nations.  And  they  are,  also, 
acf[uain;ed  wit'n  the  laws,  rel.gion,  politics,  custoins,  superstiiion, 
learni'.ig, 'ii;norance,  and  .geographical  sjiuations  of  all  countries  4 
and.  almo-f,  with  alT-rfteighbourlioi-ds  and  pecnlc.  It  will  be,  as  it 
they  |iad  been  sent,  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  as  students,  up  to 
Jerusalem,  as  a  Stniiinary;  were  they  shall  become  well  prepared, 
and,  then,  be  sent  ba:k  to  where  they  are  well  acnuaijited,  as  .Mis- 
sionaries of  the  Gospel. 

The  g.-ographicul  sstuatioi:  f>r  Jcri;^;a!em  is  most  cxceilcnt  for  the 
purpose.  "  B^auli-f'ii  for  situation,  tlse  Joy  of  t!'.e  whole  earth  is 
Mount  Zion.''  Jeris'-ii'em  1^  nearly  central  between  Europe-  A-i:;. 
and  Africa,  and  njay  be  app'ojclicd  by  land  from  tho-e  Uiroe  parts  -.li' 
the  world.  And.  from  America,  aiid  iha  Islands  westward  from 
Jerusalem.. -h.e  ui.'v  ''■..•  rnn-v-'nl.-p.Uy  approacIuM!, through  theMtuitcr- 
r.-.nean  Se'j.      A:-  ■  i-iinds   eastiv;>ii1 .  ihrfjnt;!!  t!^.e  Persian 

GnVf,  and  Red  Sea.  'i\.e  Trr.u'/iites,  tl'.erefore,  ean  come  up  to  Je- 
rusaleo),  fr;ini  all  paris  fd  vlie  world,  more  con',  enienliy  (ban  tl:ey 
could  to  any  oiher  one  pi  see  on  li."  earth.  And.  frosn  Jcn!>a'em.^ 
thev  can  go  out  a;;ain,  as  Mis^ionaiiei^,  to  all  paits  of  \hs  v.or-id, 
more  conveniently  than  i!;ey  cfr:;!-  fViin;  any  other  one  jioir.t  on  t!  e 
i::-:r  of  t!ie  eatt':. 

'.    d,  li'-m  Jera^ah- !i,    ;,■;;••,-  .1  ,■,'.  isii    iviisniooaiics  \>i'd    be  s».i.f 
.etoally,  in  every  r-lireLtiurt,    over  the  world,     Aud,  in  tlu^ 


38y 

WW,  '-ijiviny;  wate.r.s  shiill  go  out  from  Jei'usuleni,  in  thai"  day;  or.e- 
\\.\\c  of  them  toward  fh(^  f-trmcr  sea,  and  the  other  half  of  she  n  to- 
w^u'd  the  hiwder  sea  :  in  summer  and  in  winter  sh;i!l  it  be."  Zpch. 
14  8.  T*iis  living  water,  is  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  "  In  that  day 
lljere  shall  bp  a  friuntain  opened  to  the  house  of  David  and  to  the 
inhibit.ints  of  J.'rusalem  for  sin  and  for  uncleanness. "  Zech, 
13.  1.  Jnel  3.  18.  ">  And  it  shall  coine  topass  in  that  day,  that 
tho  mountains  shall  drop  down  new  wine,  and  the  hills  shall  flow 
with  milk,  and  all  thij  rivers  of  Jadah  mh.ali  fi.v/  with  waters,  and  a 
a  fountain  shall  come  forth,  ol  the  h  -use  o;  the  Lord,  and  shall  wate^' 
the  vUev  of  S.  .tti;n."  See,  also.  It  velations  2.  1,  2,  and 
17th  ver.'^es  :  "And  he  sh.ewed  me  a  pure  river  of  water  ot  life, 
clear  as  crystal,  procoediiignutof  the  throne  of  God  and  of  theLamb. 
In  the  midst  of  the  street  of  it,  and  on  either  tide  of  i'l..'  livor,  ^y^9 
there  the  tree  of  life,  which  bare  twelve  manner  of  fruits,  and 
yielded  hec  fruit  every  month  :  and  the  leaves  of  the  tree  were 
for  the  healing  of  the  nations."  '?  And  the  Spirit  and  the  bride 
say,  Come.  And  let  him  that  heareth,  say,  Come.  And  let  Idisi 
that  is  athirst,  Co-ne.  And  whosoever  will,  let  him  take  tin- 
water  of  life  freely."  Isaiah  55.  1.  "  ilo,  every  one  that  thirsteth, 
come  ye  to  the  waters  "  John  ~.  37.  "  In  the  last  day,  that 
great  day  of  the  feast,  Jesus  stood  and  cried,  saying,  If  any  man 
thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink."  Ezekiet47.  "Afterward 
he  broug'it  me  again  unto  the  door  of  the  house;  ancU  behold,  waters 
issued  out  froin  under  t'se  threshhold  of  the  house  eastward." 

'*  And  when  the 'nm  that  had  the  line  in  his  liand,  went  forth' 
eastward,  and  measure:!  a  thousand  cubits  down  tlie  stream,  the 
vvatois  were  ancle  (\ee(\  ;  and  after  measuring  anotlier  thousand 
cubits,  the  vvaters  were  knee  deep;  and  fu''ther  ou,  the  waters  were  to 
the  loins  ,*and  after  measvu'inganother  thousand, it  hiui  bec(»mea  rivet- 
tliat  I  c<(Uld  not  pass  over:  for  the  waters  had  ri.sen,  waters  to  swim  in., 
a  river  that  could  not  be  passed  over.  Thesi  he  caused  me  t'>  reiMrn 
to  the  brink  of  the  river,  and  behold,  at  the  bank  of  the  river,  were 
very  many  trees  on  the  one  side  and  on  the  other. 

"  Then  said  he  unto  me,  these  wafers  issue  out  toward  th.-^  e;)--!; 
country,  and  go  down  into  the  desert,  and  into  the  sei,  and  the 
Witer^  shall  be  healed.  And  every  thingthar  liveth,  which  move"!',, 
%vh'iihe'Soever  the  rivers  shall  come,  sh-aii  live.  And  by  the  river 
■a..)iin  the  b.ink  theie.>f,  oa  this  sifle  and  on  that  side,  saa'lgrovvnl 
trees  for  meat,  -vvhose  leaf  shall  not  fide,  neither  sliall  the  fruii 
thereof  he  cons'imed  ;  it  shad  b  ing  fnrth  m^w  fiuit  accftr'liiig  to  his 
ni'mths,  because  their  waters  fiiey  i:i-;ued  out  of  the  S  nctuarv:  atid 
th'^  fruit  thereof  shall  be  for  meat,  aud  the  leaftaereoi  formed' 
cine  "  GG  2 


it  is  j.iluiii,  luv.w  ilictibcve  Scripinree,  thai  il;is  iiviK^-;  v.;  (rr  i^ 
■J'.e  Gf!?pe!  asiii  its  ordinances.  And  the  river  spoken  of"  in  E/ekitl, 
and  h.hv),  are  ti.e  sunie  rivei-,-  and  llie  water,  being  small  at  its  start 
from  the  !)ouse,r!nd  becomifi;  larger  as  it  prcceedcci  onuard.  until  it 
became  an  impassable  river,  is  a  stror.u;  representation  of  the  Gospel 
starting  out  from  Jerusalem,  and  gaiuinp:  ground  ivsore  and  more. 
<}ntil  it  sljail  cover  the  whole  earth,  as  the  waters  cover  (he  bottom 
of  the  great  deep.  This  is  a  fit  representation  of  it,  even  (roui  the 
time  the  Gospel  was  first  preaihed  at  Jerusalom,  by  the  Apostles, 
alter  the  death  of  Christ,  when  it  was  sent  to  all  nations.  But  it  is 
particularly  applicable  to  the  time  when  the  Jews  sliall  have  return- 
ed home,  and  shall  have  become  a  Christian  nation,  and,  tiien,  shall 
have  begun  to  send  out  the  Gospel  to  all  nations,  hom  Jerusalem.  It 
will  then  go  out  from  the  house  of  God,  and  continue  on  to  spread 
wider,  and  extend  further  over  the  earth,  until  it  shall  go  to  all 
places  wherever  men  dwell  ;  and  it  shall  become  deeper  on  the 
eartli,  by  b;iiig  better  understood,  and  practised  better,  until  the 
eartli  shall  Uo  filleii  with  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  and  tlio  prac- 
tice of  the  tiuspel,  as  the  waters  cover  the  bottom  of  the  ocean. 

In  cleansing  the  Sanctuary,  an  exceeding  great  revolution  will 
take  place,  in  the  feelings  and  opinions  of  mankind,  both  in  a  civil 
and  religious  view.  Some  things  are  now,  and  have  been,  heretofore, 
looked  on  with  unconcern,  sometimes  with  approbation,  and  some- 
times practised  by  even  some  professors  of  Christianity  ;  that  will, 
hereafter,  be  viewed  with  horror  and  detestation,  even  in  a  civil 
view. 

The  Bible  inculcates  this  sentiment  and  practice  : — '"  Cease  to 
do  evil  ;  learn  tf'  do  well  ;  seek  jitdainent,  relieve  the  oppressed, 
judge  the  fatherless,  plead  for  the  widow.  Come  now%  and  let  us 
reason  together,  saitli  the  Lord  :  tnough  your  sins  be  as  scarlet, 
{hey  shall  bf-  white  as  snc^w  ;  thsiugli  they  be  red  like  crimson,  they 
shd!  be  as  wo  1  If  ye  be  willing  and  obedient,  ye  shall  eat  the 
good  of  the  Itnd  :  But,  if  ye  refiise  and  rebel,  ye  shall  be  devoured 
^vith  'he  suord:  for 'he  mouih  of  the  L'  r^'  hatii  !-poken  i'.''  Isaiah  I. 
16 — ■■20.  ''Therefore,  all  things  whatsoever  ye  w  uld  that  ineB 
should  di»  to  v<)a.  do  ye  even  so  to  them  :  for  this  is  the  law  ai  d  the 
prop;ie's  "     Matth     7.12.      Luke  G    31. 

The^e  pissasies  (if  ihe  Bible,  include  all  cases  where  human 
biitig'x  ai ;  concerned.  It  is  not  so  wonderlul  t|», it  mankind  siioLild 
be  biiniipd  ;  id  dc(  rived,  in  some  things  o!  ininorconsequence.  But 
it  is  astonisi  i:ig  th.t  anv  on*'  could  be  biinile  '  on  thit  point  of  op- 
pr.  s  ''o.  ()p)ire-.si  >:i  is  a  ina- rer -u  grrat,  th  .1  n  would  seem  as  i» 
no  one  could  overiook  it.     It  is  a  matter  of  feeiiig,    as  well  a^  cf 


391 

ju'Jgucut.  N.)  -ai!!  i-i  williiig  to  be  oppressed  ;  every  man's  feel- 
uigs  and  jtitl^inoiit  rcvuit  ^t  the  idea  of  being  oppressed,  Thece  i-; 
H!)  form  of  oi!r)rcs>ioM  to  which  any  man  can  reconcile  his  feeliiis;^; 
or  kis  jad2;m-juf,  in  submitting  to  bear  it  himself.  It  is  an  unni- 
tural  and  an  urreasonabic  thing,  to  which  no  man  ever  did  salvni:, 
willingly,  it  must  al'.vays  be  inflicted  nn  the  weaker  party,  by 
some  one  who  is  able  and  wUiing  to  do  it.  It  alvvays  requires  force. 
On  the  side  of  the  oppressor  there  is  power.  See  Eccle.  4.  1,  2. 
'•  So  I  returned,  and  considered  all  tlie  oppressions  that  aie  done 
under  (he  sun  :  and  behold,  the  tears  of  surli  as  \ve"e  oppresscMi, 
and  they  had  no  coiuforier;  and  on  the  sidt-  of  tljeir  oj)pros3ors 
ther^e  was  power  :  but  they  had  no  comforter.  Where  tort-  I  ;  raised 
the  dead  uhich  were  already  dead,  more  than  the  living  wlilch 
are  yef-  alive." 

'•Why  should  man  have  will,  or  power  to  .nakehis  fellow  mourn."'' 
Where  power  is  tiie  only  argumcnl,  duly  the  oppr-'ssed  have  no 
comforter,  notwiihstanding  their  tears  may  he  seen.  The  case  of  the 
oppressed  is  the  fnost  hopeless  ca^e  and  condition  in  wluch  man  ca'^ 
•  be  placed.  It  a^lmits  of  no  comforter,  for  no  one  can  be  a  comfort- 
er, in  the  case  of  the  oppressed,  unless  i)e  can,  in  some  measure, 
relieve  tlie  oppression.  .  But  no  one  can  relieve  the  oppression,  un- 
less he  has  power  to  do  it.  Bat  the  power  is  on  the  side  of  tlie  op- 
pressor. And  power  can  run  over  all  rights  and  reasons  ;  and  this 
it  always  does,  in  the  case  of  the  oppressed.  It  is  no  wonder  Solo- 
mon praiseil  the  dead  that  are  already  dead,  more  than  the  living 
tliat  are  yet  alive.  The  oppre^ssed  feel  so,  more  than  he  did  5  and 
many  times  they  would  rather  die  themselves  than  live.  And,  al- 
thou:ih  the  oppression  may  be  biirne  for  a  wiule,  yet  the  oppressed 
vv'ill  be  sure  to  throv.'  oft'  the  oppression,  as  soon  as  they  see  that  thef 
have  po  ver  to  do  it.  They  never  lack  tlie  disposition  to  throw  it 
oft",  no  matter  in  what  climate  they  live,  or  of  what  coloor  m.iy  be 
their  skin.  Oppression  will  cease  befijre  the  Millennium  begin?., 
eifhf'r  through  tli"  influence  of  ihe  Gospel  disposing  the  stnmg  to  itt 
the  oppressed  go  free,  as  in  Isaiah  58.  6,  or  else  by  the  sword.  If 
ye  be  willing  and  obedient,  ye  shall  eat  tae  g md  of  thi-  l;ind  ;  but^ 
if  ye  refuse  and  ri^bel  ye  sh.dl  be  devoured  wiihthe  sword  :  for  ihe 
mouth  of  tiie  L-M-d  hadi  -pokon  it. 

God  intedds  to  cleanse  tht-  Sanctuary,  and  he  will  relieve  the 
oppressed,  either  by  the  G  ispei  or  by  he  sw~rd.  l!  the  A!  \-  u^hty 
God  has  to  resi't  the  pov/-r  of  op>rcsi>!i,  bv  po.ier,  1  wid  '  e  ioue 
before  the  end  of  the  battle  of  G  <g  md  M  li.os:  And  it  by  the 
Gosp  1,  it  will  be  done  sh  ir  ly  afer  tlie  Jewisii  M  -..-;  n  aries 
start  out  from  Jerusalem.     For,  I  have  110  hope  that  the  wicived  vvili 


392 

cease  to  do  wickedly,  before  that  battle    is  over  ;  arid   1  liave  ijo 
Tears  tiiat  there  wiil  be  any  wars  and  bloodshed  alter  tliat  bit  le. 

But.  when  the  Jews  sisai!  become  a  Christian  natiori,  and  start 
the  (jospel  out  from  Jerusalem,  thf'n  a  new  inlpl^]^e  will  ht^  felt, 
and  a  revolution  will  take  place  in  the.  ininds  of  mankind,  with,  re- 
spect to  their  civil  views,  habits,  and  customs,  as  \\e!l  as  with  re- 
spect to  their  religion.  The  science  of  war,  robbery,  bloodshed, 
and  oppression,  will  be  remembered  only  to  be  detested.  And  the 
whole  attention  of  mankind  will  be  turned  round,  and  placed  upon 
the  aits  of  peace,  honesty,  and  industry.  And.  whereas  agriculture 
is  the  life  of  all  arts,  it  will  claim  the  first  consideration  and  atten- 
tion, in  this  great  and  universal  peace  establishment-.  This  will  be- 
come the  feelings  of  those  that  are  not  Ciuistians,  as  uell  as  of 
tliuse  that  are.  The  long-  list  of  implei^!ent>  cf  w.i!,  robbery,  mur- 
der, blood,  and  itiiscry,  that  has  been  with  ho  much  industry  and 
skill  accumulating  for  ;^geg,  will  be,  with  pleasure,  turned  into  im- 
plements for  cultivating  the  ground,  so  far  as  may  be  necessary  •; 
and  tiie  rensainder  will  be  turned  into  all  other  implements  of  peace- 
able, honest,  and  ind';sirious  life.  They  v,\\\  liuve  becotue  to  sick 
of  war,  that  tlieir  feeling?)  will  not  be  hurt,  wnen  they  take  even  of 
(he  most  complete  ar;d  cc-tly  sv.'ords.  that  have  been  prepared  with 
the  greatest  art,  and  beat  t'lem  into  plough-shnres,  and  tlie  most 
glittering  spears,  into  pruning  hooks.  There  will  be  many  mourn- 
ful h.er'rts,  wdun  they  read  over  the  lamentable  history  of  wicked- 
ness and  wt\e.s  of  the  preceding  generations.  But  they  will  culti- 
vate ti.eir  land  so  completely,  that  (heir  trees  shai!  yield  (heir  fruit, 
and  th.egrv'.nd  Us  increase,  ojcre  abundantly  ihuu  ihev  ever  did  be- ■ 
fore  5  ah«l  iM'  parts  of  it  will  be  inhabited.  The  siropg  places  of 
deferice.  i:!  tlie  (lifferent  nations,  will  be  turned  into  woikshops-,  or 
phuc  i  i:one-,4t  and  useful  liierchandixe.  A'id  the  ships  (d'  war, 
w-ili  be  lurned  info  ships  of  burden  and  traue  ;  and,  perhaps  to  car- 
ry Missionary  apparatus  from  country  to  country,  and  to  the  islands 
of  the  otean.  Every  thir.g  v/dl  be  turned  to  the  best  account  that 
the  nature  of  the  case  will  admit.  All  useful  arts  and  sciences  will 
be  cultivated  much  more  perfectly  than  they  ever  were  before.  The 
hearts  of  parents  will  beturnedto  their  chililren;  and  the  hearts  of  the 
children  wil;  be  turned  to  their  parents  ;  and  children  will  be  train- 
ed up  nearer  in  (he  way  in  which  they  should  go.  Instead  of  letting 
them  run  at  large,  like  a  wild  ass's  colt,  the  cultivation  of  their 
minds  and  manner*,  will  be  a  great  object  of  attention.  They  will 
try  who  shall  become  wisest  and  ablest  to  do  good.  Thetdogy  will 
take  the  lead  of  all  sciences,  and  it  will  draw  all  other  art«  and 
iSciences  inn.    train.     And,  above  all,  God  will  bless  tiie  labv^rs  o 


303 

$htu-  'iuiiiu->'iii  evvi y  goad  woik.  •'•  Aud  L  will  make  liit;;n,  aiui  the 
j/iaces  round  about  ir.y  hill,  ;i  biiiSiuug  ;  aud  1  will  cause  the  sliowor 
to  come  down  iu  his  se;i<*(>n  ;  tliere  shall  be  showers  of  blessing." 
E/.ek.  34.  2G.  Theii-  works  of  goodnesD  will  prosper,  and  truth, 
ri<j'itc<iusnc?Si  p(>act;,  and  happiness  sh:i!l  increase,  every  year  more 
and  moie,  until  the  Millennium  shall  begin  ;  wh-.'n  all  shall  know 
the  Lord,  fi-om  the  least  to  t!;c  greatest.  ''For,  it  shall  come  to 
pass  in  the  la^fc  '•^•'■^J^f  that, the  n;;iun!ain  (if  t|;e  Lord's  Iiouse  shall  be 
established  in  the  tr.p  oT  die  mountains,  and  shall  be  exalted  above 
the  hills  ;  and  all  nations  shall  flow  unto  it.  And  many  people  s  all 
say.  Come  yp,  anil  let  us  f:^  up  to  t'se  raountaiis  of  the  Ijord,  to 
the  house  of  tiie  God  ofJdrob:  and  he  will  teach  us  of  his  ways,  and 
we  will  walk  in  h>is  paths  :  for  out  of  Zion  sh;iU  j^o  forth  the  law, 
and  the  word  of  the  Lord  from  Jerusa'.'in.  And  he  shall  jndge 
among  the  nalions,  and  shall  rebuke  niimy  people  :  and  they  sliail 
beat  their  swords  into  plough  shares,  and  their  spears  into  pruning,- 
hooks  :  nafion  ahull  not  lift  up  sword  against  nation,  neither  s'^-iH 
they  learn  war  and  aiore.''  Lsaiah  2.  2-— 4,  Micah  4.  1 — 4.  "■  But 
they  shall  bit  every  man  under  his  vine  and  undor  his  fi^itree  ;  and 
none  shall  make  them  afraid  :  for  the  tnouth  of  the  Lord  of  hosts 
hath  spoken  it."  "  Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I 
will  make  r  '-^ ;  — v;;v;"':  v.\'li':<-'  hri=e  csf  hr;el,and  with  the 
house  of  Judaii  :  Zsot  accordi!;^  t;,  t^u-  cOvenan*-  thit.  i  made  with 
their  frithers  in  the  day  t!;at  I  took  Mi;  m  by  the  hand  to  bring  them 
out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  ;  which  my  covenant  they  brake,  although  I 
was  an  husband  unto  them,  eajth,  the  Lor  '  :  B'lt  ihis  shall  be  tlie  co- 
venant that  I  willnifjke  with  the  house  of  Israel  ;  After  those  days, 
saith  the  Lorvd.  I  v.ili  putmv  lasv  in  their  invvard  parts,  and  write  it 
in  thfir  liearr-.  ;  and  will  be  th.eir  God.  and  fhi'v  sh.ail  be  inv  peo- 
ple. And  thoy  s'lail  ten:  i!  no  ni'sre  every  man  iiis  neighb^iur,  a^d 
every  man  his  biofiier.  saying,  know  the  Lord  :  for  they  siial!  ail 
know  me,  from  the  least  of  them'  unto  the  greatest  of  th.em.  saith  *i.e 
L'^ri]  :  for  I  \y\\\  f-a-give  tl^eir  iniquity,  aijd  I  will  re-uemi-'r  ih-ir 
sins  no  m'irc."  hr  fil.  3i~-34.  Paul  quoted  tfds  place  in  fleb.  8. 
^' — 12.  .  '^  >? -h  iM,  I  \viil  :;:i!her  tiiein  (Hit  of  all  countries,  whither 
I  iiave  driven  tK --^  ii  >r  ._•:;;;:.  r,  and  in  :ny  f^ry.  and  in  a:-:--U 
wrati  ;  and  T  -..vi;i  bring  the-n  jgain  unto  thi?  j)iice,  and  [  wiil  '-au'^e 
them  to  dweU  safely  ;  and  flu  v  s-htlt  he  my  peop'e,  .;:;(!  I  wil!  be 
their  God  :  and  I  will  give  th  in  o  e  iie.;rt,  and  one  Nvav.  ti'at  they 
may  fear  ;n-  f'ovvp-,  fir  ih,-  i;;;o.;  ^Tthem,  and  of  their  chibireu  af- 
ter them  :  asi.i  I  wiU  muke  an  cverlastif.g  co-enaut  ■.vH.li  th>nn," 
that  I  will  not  turn  away  from  (hem,  to  lio  thei-a  go-d  ;  bu;  I 
v/iH    put    my     fear     in   their    hearts,   that    "thev    shn!!  not   depart 


$94 

.  ..  .  :.'.  .  \;,  i  will  rejoice  over  tlieu),  t.«  do  theiu  ^"•'■'> 
fitiil  I  \- i  1  plant  tlieni  in  liiis  hiiul  asiureiily  v.itii  my  wlaiK.- 
he.ni  a.td  vvitli  my  whole  soal."  Jer.  32.  37 — -U;  "  Atid  ri^iit- 
cousnes^  j^liall  be  the  girdle  of  liis  loins,  and  faithfulness  the  girdle 
of  his  rr;iiis.  The  woifalso  sh;i!l  dwell  with  the  Idinb,  and  the  leo- 
pard shall  'i/  down  with  the  kid  ;  and  tiie  calf,  and  the  young  Uoa, 
and  tiie  fatling  together  j  and  a  little  child  shall  lead  them.  And 
the  cow  and  the  bear  shall  feed  ;  their  young  ones  shall  lie  down  to- 
gether :  and  (he  lion  shall  eat  straw  like  the  os.  And  the  sucking 
chil  1  >!ia!i  play  on  the  hole  of  tlie  a-.;;,  and  the  weaned  child  bhall 
put  his  hand  o.t  the  cockatrice's  den  They  shall  not  hurt  nor  destroy 
in  all  tny  holy  mountain  :  Fortiie  easth  s  .all  be  full  of  the  know- 
ledge of  the  L')rd,  as  the  watei.->  co\er  the  sea.  And  in  that  day 
there  shall  be  a  root  of  Jesse,  which  shall  stand  for  an  ensign  of 
the  people  ;  to  it  shall  the  Gentiles  seek  :  and  his  rest  shall  be  glo- 
rious."  Isaiah  11.  5 — 10.  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  be- 
fore they  call,  I  will  answer  ;  and  while  they  are  yet  speaking  i 
will  hear.  The  wolf  and  the  lamb  shall  feed  together,  and  the  lion 
shall  eat  straw  like  the  bullock  :  and  dust  shall  be  the  serpent's 
meat.  They  shall  not  hurt  nor  destroy  in  all  my  holy  mountain, 
sai'h  the  Lord."  Isaiah  65.  24,  25.  In  this  way  shall  the  Church 
look  forth,  fair  as  the  moon,  clear  as  the  sun,  and  terrible  as  an  ar- 
my with  banners.  Moreover,  the  light  of  the  moon  shall  be  as  the 
li^ht  of  tiie  sun,  and  the  light  of  the  sun  shall  be  seven-fold,  as  the 
lig!)t  of  seven  days,  in  the  day  that  the  Lord  bindeth  up  the  breach 
of  his  people,  and  healeth  the  stroke  of  their  wound."  Isaiah  30.  26. 
lu  this  vvay,  the  stoPie  cut  out  without  hands,  is  to  become  a 
great  mountain,  and  fill  the  whole  earth.  The  kingdoms  of  this 
world  are  to  be  given  to  the  people  of  the  Saints  of  the  ^lost  Ilig'i, 
whose  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom.  Not  only  are  ail  nations 
to  become  Christian  nations,  but,  als;),  all  in  iividjals,  male  and  fe- 
Hiale,  in  all  nations,  are  to  become  Christian  ,  iiideed  and  in  truth. 
And  this  is  what  is  meant  hy  cleansing  the  S.mctuary.  All  this  has 
tO'tuke  place  by  the  time  the  45  prophetic  years  are  out  :  conse- 
qiifiiily,  intlie  evening  of  the  day,  it  will  be  light.  Tise  whole  75 
vear.=>  from  tlie  fill,  or  rather  f;o;n  the  end  of  the  1260  years  of  the 
ik'ast's  reign,  i?  that  day  which  s!iou'd  bj  neith.cr  clear  nor  dark  : 
!;iit  in  t'le  evening  it  sliall  be'  light.  '•  Who  h.ath.  heard  such  a 
thijjg  :- ,  Who  hath  seen  such  things  ?  vShall  the  earth  be  made  to 
brin^  forth  in  one  day?  or  shall  a  nation  be  born  at  once  ?  for  as  soon 
asZion  travailed,  she  bt:*fe«ght  fortii  her  clnldicn."  Isaiah  66.  S. 
Aithough  no  o.-.'-'  ha*  ever  yet  hea'-d  or  seen  such  a  thii>g.  yet,  in  tiic 
last  45  years  of  cleansing  the  .Sanctaary,  this  improvement  will  <^.o 


o^5 

»n  rapitllr,  somelhing  like  a  milion  being  born  in  a  ilaj.  '•  For  as 
suon  as  Zion 'travailed,  she  brougl^t  forth  her  childrei).'  Ga-i  i« 
"ab'e  to  do  a  great  work,  in  a  short  time  ;  and.  the  work  is  trn'y 
great,  and  the  time  short.  According  to  the  cilcalatinn,  the  45 
years  will  end  about  tiie  27th  day  of  rdarch,  in  (lie  yi-ar  1S8r, 
when  the  Mil!en!iiuiu  is  to  begin  beauiitaiiy.  .Blesse;',  i.-;  he  tliar. 
•v:ii!cth.  at)(i  Cometh  to  Ih.it  delghtful  period  of  titr.e.  >lay  God 
Ija-icr)  t'lC  work,  by  all  iv-eans  necessary  for  accompti-^!;!!^;:  it.  in  it-5 
proper  ;i.u,'. 

■  TDe  word  ^llllcMiniu;:!  s!g;;!;{ies  a  th>iisa:id  ye:::,i.  An-l  k  is 
r!ie  Uaivie  which  has  ;;>•;';:  u}''-''  particuh'irly  to  ih.;  pe^io  !  nf  -i^Mc 
s;)j'<c;)  oi'  ui  llc-Aeiati;_)i)s  ^20.  :':.  <-  A'vi  I  ^mlw  :•-  a  .^l!  c  -.  ■  i  'wn 
frO'n  iiCiViMi,  iiavin^T  rii-ki'y  of  tis,;  b-;'t'';!i'>'=.s  pit,  ::  '  .  :;■  t':;t 
■  ;-.;;i  i;i  iiis  h:in-i.  Aiid  he  \d\<\  iiold  ou  the  old  dragoo,  tl^at  old  ser- 
js.'-iu  whicii  i".  called  the  Devi!,  and  Satan,  ijtnd  bound  him  a  thou- 
sand'years .'" 

riii^  ii;li?n  li  r<n  i;  to  begin,  wlr.^never  the  fo  years  of  cleansing 
'h,e  Si  icliiary  aro  OUT..  And  trnt!;,  peace,  and  righteousness,  will 
coi-er  th,;  \v!v,)le  earth,  during  d}e  whole  period  of  a  thousand  years, 
or  .tluoughout  tise  vvhol?  '.!il!e.iniu;n.  Sometisnes  the  question  has 
been  proposed — ''  Will  the  I.tillenniuin  continue  just  one  thousand 
projiiii-tic  ye;;rs  ;  or  wiii  it  c^intinue  *  !  -re  than  a  thousand  years  ?" 

D.iPiie!,  ill  his  8t!i  chapter  a  -  ertie,  gives  days  for   pro- 

p'letic  y^as-:;.     And  John,  in  R:  .  :,.  1  i.    3,  and    12.   6,    gives 

davs  (or  ve.^rs,  in  ihe  rcijn  oi  the  I^east.  •  Arid,  as  John  was  writing 
on  the  s;;ine  pubject,  it  ia  ■:  d  reasonable  that  he  should  use 

the  ?a'n:'  inaiv.ier  of  exprc?;  ■  ;;  he  spoke  of  the  Mi'lennium. 

And  it  >f,  rL'a;-;')iKi';jle  to  understand  hiiu  as  still  uieaning  to  give  a  day 
for  a  year  |  and  tiiatthe  MdleiHiiiim  was  to  continue  as  many  pro- 
phetic years  as  there  are  days  in  a  t'lousand  prophetic  years.  But, 
as  there  are  360  days  in  one  prophetic  ye;ir,  so  there  are  360,000 
days  in  a  thousand  prophetic  years.  And  this  would  make  the  Mil- 
lennium 360,000  prophetic  years,  at  a  day  for  a  yeor.  And  this  is 
the  natural  way  to  understand  it.  For,  if  John  had  told  us  that  ihe 
Millenniuui  should  last  a.  thousand  days,  we  should  have  understocid 
hiio  as  meaning  a  thousand  prophetic  years  ;  as  we  do  where  lie 
speaks  of  the  reign  of  the  Beast,  and  calls  it  1260  days.  We  un- 
derstand that  the  reign  of  the  Beast  was  1260  years.  Now  this 
would  be  260  years  longer  than  the  triumphant  -i-eign  of  Christ  ou 
eartli,  if  the  Millennium  be  but  one  thousand  years  ;  which  would 
seem  to   be   very   disproportionate.     But,   if   the   Millennium  be 


t)6 


360,000  years,  tl-en  we  can  clearly  see,  that,  '>  where  siti  abuumkd, 
graci;  diii  much  fjiore  abound."  We  can,  a!sr;,  &ee  ihe  -.lifcaiiinr  ol 
th;:se  wo.fK  :  ••  il  shiiH  b.uise  thy  iiead,  and  thou  shalt  bruii^c  his 
h-cti."     For,  bcfiue  the  Mill^T.nium,  the  Jews  shall  be    bri)uo-ht  in, 

V;Uh   \li    ii;l':us;,  {  f  ;Sv    G'rtr.'e-  :  atul,  (iurinsr  ihe  whole  Millen- 

ii:iii-  ■     '  i-aiovv   the  Lo;u,  fii^n  tlio    icii>t 

t(/ the  <,i.aU:i."     Ai.u.  t^;  i!ib  ui;-'.ry  many  millions  that   shuil   be 

•  taved.  ine'uc!!t,iti!(k:  WvM  by.s,>  great  that  no  man   can  iiUrnbsi- them. 

G  .d'i.>TOii!TS!Mi  Aijiahat:;,  Gen.  15.  5.  tr.aLiiis  s^c'd  sLoulii  be  af? 
n';-iie]\.e^  j!s  tlie  stars  of  heaven.  And;  in  the  2i?,.  17,  18 — "That 
iii  b!t?.s"uio;.  I  ^vin  hh'->  thee.  aii<>  in  raultiplyino-,  I  uiil  iruihipij 
•  iiV  ^eod  lis  tlic    •   ;  '  '  eiv.'n.and  as  the  sand  whic!)  is  iipo;i  t'.e 

sif.i'^hi.re  ;  an  ■  ■  no^seas  thpgatc.  of  his  eneiriics  :  ar.ii  ]n 

thy  s;H'd  ^!  tu!  Mil  iiie;  i!;i:ii>ns  of  thte  earth  be  hiC'-SH.i  "  A  d  G  d  s^id 
(0  Jaeo  .,  Oi  n.  2S.  14,  ''Thy  seed  shall  be  as  the  dic-t  uT  the  eaith." 
And,  h2.  12 — '^I  uiVI  saiely  do  thee  ,2;ood,  and  ni:ihe  Ihy  seed  as t lie 
sasid  of  the  sea.  whicii  cannot  be  ■nunsbered  for  ;:iuititLule."<'riirsc 
|r::ii!;:-.e-havsf)'.!K  vcr  ve'  hven  rnifillc(]  ;  but,  if  de  Milienniam  si  all 
last  of:'.;, Of  0  yi^ar-:,  we  aray  see  that  ihey  c-'in  be  iulidled.  her<^ai'le#-, 
cciopsetcly.  Tlie  de^icendcints  of  Abraliam,  I*i;:c,  anci  Jacii*,b..niay 
y<-t  bcco^iTie  ;i3  T'iuiixmov^  as  tiie  star»  of  !>eaven,  or  the  ^  ind  'of  tjte 
sea  ;  and,  '.:.  :•-      .      ■'-.!  ■■'i  i'  .^kjus  <>{  li:,    o.:;  .1;   hi'  bii'->f(i  -,; 

ior  all  natioi.s  wiil  lie;;ri;u^.;t  into  ti;e  hi^tsi!:^*  oi  iii>^  (jusp.;!,  ih  ihe 
timeof  the  Miilenidun-!.  C!;i  is*  was,  acc(truii;<r  to  ihelhs'h,  a  de- 
scendant of'A^brahani,  Is:iac,atid  Jacob  ;  3;  ■'  he  i^  i'lhe  roui  r;  d 
ofr«;pring  of  David,  anti  he  bhal!  sit  upon  Uie  fiiroiie  ol  l\is  i-;..;- r 
David,  iorever  ;  "^ai-id  ihere  was  ^ivei-  liiui  t-onssnion,  andglor>,  and 
a  kiiT'doni.  (hi-j  all  pi^onle,  nations,  and  h^isguages,  should  serve 
him  ;  his  dominios!  is  an  everlasting  (J^Mniniou,  whicii  shall  nut  pass 
avvav,  and  his  kingdom  that  vvlucii. shall  iiot  be  destroved.'  But  a 
part  of  hisr^-i^n  will  be  in  this  Vv'orid^  and  the  balance  of  ir  through- 
out eiet nitv. 

1  kniiv.-  thar.  whi-n  G.')d  says  many  tlsinjisin  ihe  Bible,  that  ap- 
pear, to  fiijnian  b.uijiS,  oiicomruoa  and  iniprf-bable,  or  r.ot  well  un- 
dersfoed,  so  •■e  uii-n  have  a  way  of  spiritualizing  th^-iu  to  dead),  or 
at  least  until  t'ev  are  sujopo^eti  to  tnt-an  something  quite  ctniuu'n, 
or  \vi.'.ifi  tlu' hounds  of  human  Isketihood.  And,  in -this  way,  the 
iiif-iilTi-  V,  i?(i<tri>  and.  powi-r  of  God,  are  rtduced  down  to  the  piiilul 
conceifs  ;itn!  vv.  il.Ti^  ss  otuan  ;  hs  if  God  had  said  inuch  tviure  than 
he  vva^  aide  to  perfo  in.  Now.  this  kind  ot  a  spintu  liz;:(ion»  is  ab- 
solutely a  contradiction  of  God^instead  of  our  thinking  as  we  ought, 
"  tl  at  he  is  able  to  do  esceeUiug  abundantly  above  all  that  we  a-k 
or  thitik."     Knh.  f:.  20. 


397 

But  I  kao'.v,  aho,  t'nat  there  are  soa^e  objections  urged  against 
ofldei-staading  the  Bible  as   metn!n;r  thit  tlie  Milietuiiuin  should 
'as':  S60,000  years,      it  has  been  said  tiiat  the  people  would  become 
50  numerous  that  they  could  not  stand   upon  ihe  earth.       And,  to 
make  the  objection  so  much  the  more  frightful,  it  has  been  said  that 
they  would  become  so  numerous  that  (hey    would  make  a  pile,    all 
over  the  lace  ofthe  earth,,  as  hi;>,!i  as  tlie  snoon.     In  this  wyy,  men 
can  close  their  eyes  against  the  infinite  wis.loni,  power,   and  good- 
ness of  God.    I  consider  it  a  suftkieut  answer  to  all  such  objections, 
to  reply,  that,  "in  ^ny  Fither's  house  arc  many  mansions."     It  there 
should  not  be  room  enough  on  e.uti>,  there  will  be  room  a  plenty  in 
heaven  ;  and  God  will  move  ti'tMn   to  hpavt'n  fas^  enuigh,  so  that 
they  siiall  irsK  be  fooniuc!'.  crowdesi  mu  iSie  r;u'M!.  ii(<i\  iS  never  at  a  loss 
for  ways  and  means  to  acco  oplsh  'a<}i  inliastcly  wi-^e  and  benevolent 
purposes.    The  Redeemer  shall  .sec  of  the  traVo-il  ci'  his  soul^  and  shall 
be  satirifiec. 

I'iie  earth  was  niatle  to  be  ialuibitcd.  .■•!i-]  it  vv'.as  not  created  in 
v-aio..  Isaiah  45.  13.  It  will  no  doubt  be  settled  thick;  and  even 
the.  mo.-it  unpromising  parts  will  be  so  compietely  cultivated,  as  to 
iiourish',  Uke  the  Garden  of  Eden  ;  and  the  desert  shall  rt-joice  and 
bloBSom  like  tlu-.  rose.  '•  The  Vv'Uderness  and  the  solitary  place 
ahall  begiad.{V>r  them  ;  and  the  desert  shall  rejoice  a:id  bioS'?um  as 
the  rose.  It  shall -blossom  abundantly,  and  rejoice  even  with  joy 
and  singing  •.  the  jij^ory  of  Lebanon  shall  be  given  unto  it,  the  escel- 
lency  of  Carrnt;!  and  Sharon  they  shall  see  the  glory  ofthe  L(;ru, 
and  the  excellency  of  our  God."  Isaiah  S3.  !,  2.  ''For  ye  shall  go 
out  with  joy,  and  be  led  forth  with  peace  :  the  mountains  and  the 
hills  shall  break  forth  before  you  into  singing,  and  all  the  trees  ofthe 
iie-d  shcill  cliip  their  hands.  Instead  ofthe  thorn  shall  come  up  the 
iir-uee,  and  instead  of  the  brier  shall  come  up  the  myrtle-tree  :  and 
it  shall  be  to  the  Lord  for  a  name,  for  an  everlasting  sign  that  shall 
not; be  cut  off."  isa.  55.  12.  13.  Such  places  shew  that  the  earth 
will  be  thickly  inhabited,  and  well  cu'tiva'ed  ;  but  there  is  no 
danger  that  it  will  be  overcharged  with  people  at  any  time,  even  if 
the  Mdlenniuin  should  last  360,000  years. 

The  people  will  culdvare  such  habits  of  peace,  good  order, 
and  temperance,  that  they  will  live  nearly  as  long  as  they  did  be- 
fore the  Flood.  "There  shall  be  no  more  thence  an  infant  of  days^ 
nor  an  old  man  that  hath  not  filled  his  days  :  for  the  child  shall  die 
an  hundred  years  old  ;  but  the  sinner  being  an  hundred  years  old 
shall  be  accursed.  \nd  they  shall  build  houses,  and  inhabit  themj 
and  they  shall  plant  vineyards,  and  eat  the  fruit  of  them.  Tiiey 
shall  nor   build,    and   another  inhabit ;  they  shall  not  plant,  and 


o<^8 


anotJier  i-ut  ;  lor  as  the  days  of  a  tree,  are  the  tiavs  ot  my  people  ; 
r.Qtl  mine  elect  shall  long  enjoy  the  work  of  th^ir  hands.  They  shall 
rot  iab(M-in  vain,  nor  bring  forth  lor  trouble  ;  for  they  are  the  seed 
of  the  blessed  of  tlie  I.urd,  an;l  their  oilsi)riitg  with  theni."  Isaials 
65.  20 — i23.  The  days  of  a  tree  are  said  to  be  from  ab.iut  six  hun- 
dred to  about  nine  hundred  years.  And  as  the  days  of  a  tree,  are 
the  days  of  my  peojile.  It  appears  to  r.ic  that  no  children  will  die 
•in  real  infancy,  or,  perhaps,  under  legal  age. 

la  our  country,  children  are  infants  in  law,  until  they  are 
twenty-one  years  of  age.  But,  in  the  time  ol  the  Millennium,  they 
will  be  considered  children  when  they  are  an  lumdred  years  old. 
And,  if  one  dies  at  an  hundred  years  old,  he  will  be  said  to  have 
iiied  i)i  childiioc'i.  But  no  one  will  be  a  sinner  uiitii  he  is  an  huu- 
(ired  years  old.;  for,  if  he  should  be  an  impenitent  sinner,  at  an  hun- 
"lircd  years  old,  he  shall  be  accursed.  This  is  a  strong  manner  ot 
expression,  to  she\v  that  none  will  continue  sinners  until  that  age, 
•viio  live  and  die  in  the  Millennium.  For,  of  all  those  that  live  and 
t'\\i  in  (he  Millennium,  tliere  will  be  none  but  what  shall  kr-.ow  the 
:  .'id,  from  the  least  to  the  greatest.  There  shall  be  nothing  to  hurt 
r  to  destroy  in  all  the  holy  mountain.  But  if  there  were  a  tinner 
t'lere,  to  liveand  die  a  sinner  of  an  hundred  years  old,  and  be  ac- 
cursed, then  it  could  not  be  said,  with  propriety,  that  there  was  no- 
Thing  to  hurt  or  destroy.  All  that  live  and  die  in  the  Mill-  n- 
nium,  will  be  renewed  by  the  Divine  S|  irit  at  an  early  day,  and 
tliey  will  live  the  life  ol  Christians,  and  die  the  death  ol  the  righ- 
teous, and  be  saved.  If  any,  born  in  the  Millennium,  should  re- 
main sinners  until  they  are  an  h.undred  years  old,  they  .will  not  die 
in  the  MiUennium.  But  tliey  must  be  such  as  may  be  born  some 
short  time  before  the  end  of  the  Millennium,  and  live  until  the  Mil- 
lenniuijj  is  ended,  and  die  sometime  after  the  end,  of  vshom  I  intend 
to  say  more,  when  I  treat  of  the  Little  Season,  which  takes  place 
at  the  end  of  the  Millennium. 

Notwithstanding,  all  that  live  and  die  within  the  Millennium, 
\yill  be  renew^ed  early,  and  will  die  Christians,  and  be  s-aved  :  yet, 
we  are  not  to  understand  that  all  will  live  to  the  age  of  a  tree, 
^lany  trees  die  before  they  come  to  v^hat  is  called  the  age  of  a  tree; 
{^efore  they  co.ne  to  be  live,  or  six,  or  nme  hundred  jcars  old. 
They  will  be  sure  to  leave  the  earth  in  sufficient  time  to  prevent  the 
darth  from  being  overstocked  with  inhabftants,  or  even  too  much 
cVowded  to  live  comfortably.  But  the  earth  will  be  filled  with  in- 
|iabifants,  and  with  the  knowledge  ot  the  Lord  ;  and.  as  many  as 
jiin  live,  on  the  earth,  cotulor'ably,  will  be  coi'tinued  on  it,  for  u.r'ny 
?rges.     BD(,  after   the  earth  shall  be  tilled  with   inhabitants^   then 


399 

4ji0se  inhabitants  tuiist  leave  tlie  earth  time  etiouyii  to  inalie  tooni 
■for  others  that  will  come  after  ihcm.  Ami,  in  tiiis  way,  the  vvh<jle 
earfh  shai!  be  pec^pled  uitli  a  succession  of  inhabitants  as  famous  for 
goodness,  peace,  and  happiness,  as  ever  it  was  peopled  with  inhabit- 
ants infamous  for.  wickedness,  war  and  misery.  So  great  a  change 
will  have  taken  place  for  the  brtter,  that  ti'.L-  people  ti>en  will  feel 
just  as  certain  that  there  is  no  thief,  liar,  swearer,  or  drunkard,  as 
they  always  have  felt  that  tiiere  v/as.  And,  in  every  oilier  wicked- 
ness, a  similar  reformation  will  iiavc  (akea  place. 

There  has  been  a  notion  in  the  world  that  Christ  would  coiv.e 
back  into  the  world,  and  live  iiereoa  tiie  earth  as  a  man,  during  the 
the  Miiieniiium,  and  govern  and  direct  the  world  in  every  thing, 
with  so  much  wisdom  as  to  secure  all  excellence  and  prosperity  in 
his  kingdom.  And  that  all  Ch.ristians,  who  had  died  before  the 
Millennium,  should  rise  from  t!ie  dead,  and  come  back  here  on  the 
earth,  and  reign  or  live  vyfith  Chiist,  here  on  the  earth,  during  the. 
Millennium.  They  who  entertain  these  notions  have  felt  themselves 
supported  by  such  passages  as  these,  in  Rev.  20.  4th  and  6th-~"Anii 
they  lived,  and  reigned  with  Chj-ist  a  thousand  years."  "  But  tliey 
shall  be  priests  of  God  and  of  Cl'.rist,  and  shall  reign  vath  him  a 
thousand  years."  These  places  of  Scripture  do  not  represent  ii> 
me,  that  either  Christ,  or  the  dead  io  Christ,  will  ever  come  back, 
and  live  on  the  earth  as  they  formerly  did.  I  Isave  given  my  judg- 
ment on  these  points,  in  the  conversation  on  the  Resurrection  and 
GeneralJudgment  5  and  need  not  lepeatit  here.  It  is  enough  to 
expect  an  universal  reformation,  sitting  every  thing  in  the  best  or- 
der, among  those  that  will  come  into  the  world  in  a  natural  way  : 
witliout  expecting  the  dead  to  come  back  and  live  on  the  earth. 
Those  good  people  that  are  dead,  can  rise  from  the  dead,  and  reigji 
with  Christ  a  thousand  years,  or  through  the  Millenniura,  more  to 
their  satisfaction,  in  heaven,  where  they  are  to  be  forever,  than  here 
OB  the  earth.  Neither  would  it  be  any  real  advantage  to  the  people 
on  tke  earth,  for  those  dead  to  come  back  arui  live  on  the  earth.  Th^ 
people  on  the  earth,  have  Moses  and  the  Prophets,  and  also  the  Apo^ 
ties  ;  and,  if  they  will  not  hear  them,  neither  would  they  hear,  if 
all  the  dead  would  come  back.  And,  if  the  people  will  hear  tiie 
Bible,  there  will  be  nn  need  for  {lie  cnnnse's  and  examples  of  the 
dead.  The  ^Millennikim  must  be  brought  on,  and  conducted 
througliout,  according  to  the  principles  laid  dov/n  in  the  word  of 
God  ;  and,  when  every  thing  is  done  according  to  the  Bible,  it  will 
be  a  delightful  Millennium.  There  will  be,  throughout  the  whole 
Mdlenniura,  just  as  much  necessity  for  every  one  to  be  born  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  of  God,  as  there  ever  was.  And  this  will  take  place  while 


400 

ihey  are  vt-iy  your.g.  'i'hey  will  '•  remember  thfir  creatcii-  in  (lit:-; 
days  of  their  youih."  Under  the  inilui'tice  i;}'  tl-.e  Holy  Spuir,  they 
will  be  trained  up  in  the  knowledge  and  practic*'  oi  the  primiples 
contained  in  the  Bible.  The  '*  word  of  God  will  he,  truly,  .1  lump 
unto  their  feet,  and  alight  unto  their  path."  The  Bible  contains 
the  first  principles  of  all  valuable  arts  and  sciences  :  and,  whatever 
contradicts  the  Jiible,  cannot  be  !rue.  And,  before  the  Mdlenniun^ 
begins,  but  pat  ticulaily  in  the  tin^ie  of  it,  the  Holy  Spirit  of  (Jod 
will  '•'  open  the  eyes  of  mankind  to  behold  wondrous  things  out  of 
<he  Bible,"  for  the  Bible  contains  the  law  of  God.  And,  whenever 
Bdde  principles  are  properly  understood,  and  carried  into  practice, 
'it  will  constitute  a  complete  reformation  all  over  the  world.  "-There- 
fore, if  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  anew  creature  :  old  things  are 
passed  away  :  behold,  all  things  are  become  new."  2.  Cor.  5.  17. 
Wherefore,  when  all  mankind,  over  tlse  whole  world,  shall  be  iu 
Christ,  they  will  be  new  creatures,  or  it  will  be  a  new  world  :  old 
things  will  have  passed  away  5  behold  all  tliittgs  will  have  becom-> 
new. 

Isaiah  43.  18,  19.— "Hemember  ye  not  the  former  thin;',?,  nei- 
ther consider  the  things  of  old.  Behold,  I  will  do  anew  thing;  now 
it  shall  spring  forth  ;  shall  ye  not  know  it  ?  T  will  evei\  make  a 
way  in  the  wilderness,  and  rivers  in  the  desert."  '^  Sing,  O  je 
heavens  ;  for  the  Lord  hath  done  it  :  shout,  ye  lower  parts  of  ti) .' 
earth  :  break  forth  into  singing,  ye  niouiitains,  O  forest,  and  every 
tree  therein  :  for  the  Lord  hath  redeemed  Jacob,  and  glorified  him- 
self in  Israel."  Isaiah  44.  23.  And,  in  Rev.  20.  1 — 3,  John  say?, 
*'  And  I  saw  an  augel  come  down  from  Iseaven,  having;  the  key  vf 
the  bottoiuless  pit,  and  a  great ;  hain  in  his  hand,  Atid  he  had  hold 
on  the  dragon,  that  old  serpent,  \'.  hich  is  the  Devil,  and  Satan,  and 
bound  him  a  thousand  years.  And  cast  him  into  the  bottoinless  pit, 
and  shut  him  up,  and  s-.t  a  seal  upon  him,  that  he  should  deceive 
the  nations  no  more,  till  the  thousand  years  should  be  fulfiiled.-" 
And,  in  theSist  chapter,  John  takes  up  the  sumc  subject  again,  atxl 
says,  "  And  I  saw  a  new  he.ivenand  a  new  eartli  :  for  tii^  li-vt  lioa- 
ven  anCi  the  firfct  catili  were  passed  an^ay  ;  and  tiiere  was  no  ssioie 
sea.  And  IJohu  saw  t'lc  h.ily  tiiy,  rSe'\v  Jerusalem,  ccunisiij.' do-.i  n 
from  God  out  of  heaven,  piepnrcd  as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  lius- 
band.  And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  iienven,  savin r-  neliib!, 
the  tabernacle   of  God  is  v/ith  men,  and    he  wi!i    dw.   :  ;         ..>. 

and  they  shall  be  iiis  people,  and  God  himself  sliall  be  wuii  i'i\;  :;;. 
and  be  tlieir  God.  And  God  sh.ill  wipe  away  all  tears  frtrnv their 
eyes  :  and  there  she.U  be  no  miire  di'iuii,  r^eith^r  sorrow HorT^yirig, 
neitlier  shall  there  be  any  n>o;epa!a  :  for  the  former  tbhv^sare^pass 


401 

od  ciw.iy.  Atid  he  that  s.u  upon  the  thrinc,  said,  Bi-liol-J,  I  inaki- 
all  things  new.  And  he  saii.l  unto  vne,  Write  :  lor  these  words  are 
true  anti  faithful.  And  he  said  unto  me,  It  is  done.  I  am  Alpha 
and  Orneq;a,  the  heoinninij  and  the  end:  I  nil!  give  unta  him  th:it  is 
athirst,  of  the  fountain  of  the  water  of  life,  freely.  He  tliat  ove:- 
cometh,  shallioherit  vdi  things;  and  I  '.vill  be  his  God,  and  lie  shall 
be  my  Son." — '•  And  one  of  the  seven  angels,  lalked  with  me,  say- 
ing, Come  hither,' I  will- shew  thee  the  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife.  And 
he  carried  me  away  in  the  Spirit  to  a  great  and  high  mountain,  and 
shewed  me  that  great  city,  the  holy  Jerusalem,  descending  o;it  of 
heaven  from  God,  having  the  glory  of  God  :  .and  her  light  was  like 
onto  a  stone  most  precious,  oven  like  a  Jasper-stone,  cle.ii'  as  clirys- 
tal  ;.  And  liad  a  wall  great  and  liigh,  and  had  twelve  gates,  and  at 
the  gates  twelve  angel',  and  names  written  tlirrcon,  which  arc  tlic 
names  ofthetwelve  tribes  of  the  children  of  Israel." 

This  new  heaven  and  new  earth,  represents  the  reformed  gtat*> 
of  the  world,  in  the  time  of  tiie  JMiUennium,  when,  Behold,  all  things 
shaU  have  become  new  ;  <dd  tiaings  having  passed  away,  i  know 
there  have  been  various  nations  in  the  world,  about  this  new  heaven 
and  new  earth.  Some  men  have  been  looking  forward,  and  expect- 
ing that  this  new  hea^/^n  and  new  earth,  would  take  place,  in  some 
unknown  and  mai-velious  manner,  at  so-ne  period  after  the  present 
world  comes  to  an  end.  But  these  notions  never  arose  out  of  the 
Sible;bat  rather  from  overlooking  the  Bible.  There  is  a  great  pro- 
pensity in  mankind,  to  look  far  away,  and  foim  notions  of  their  own'; 
instead  of  gathering  correct  ideas  out  of  the  Bible.  On  this  prin 
ciple  it  is,  that  many  have  doabtfd,  and  even  di,->pated  that  a  Mii- 
lennium  would  ever  take  place,  while  the  world  lasts.  But  it  is  of 
infinitely  more  importance  to  mankind  that  God  should  inform  dS' 
that  he  intended  to  reform  and  renew  fh'.  present  v.^orl(i,  and  better 
its  circumstances,  to  such  a  high  degrae,  that  it  shall  become  th'c 
habitation  of  universal  rig'ateocfsness.  piace,  and  happiness  ;  insteafi 
of  continuing  a  perpetual  iiabitation  of  devils,  and  h(de  ofevcry  foal 
S[)irit,  and  cage  of  every  unclean  and  hateful  bird  :  I  say  it  is  of  in- 
iinirely  more  importance  to  be  informed  of  this,  than  it  wouUI  jiavi' 
been  to  be  informed  about  some  kind  of  a  sreat  so:nethin«;  rhat  vi^:tt^ 
tb  take  place  after  this  world  comii-s  to  an  end  ;  and,  of  which,  this 
world  never  would  be  any  thing  the  better.  And  God  has  been 
graciously  pleased  to  give  us  this  desirable  information  in  tie  Bible, 
and  we  ou2;ht  not  to  shut  our  ey(^s  ag-iinst  it. 

We  should  remember  thit  the  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  an 
Everlasting  kingdom,  and  to  his  dominion  there  shall  be  no  end.  Hfi's' 
kingdow  begins  in  this  world,  and  is  to  continue  throughout  eterni- 

H  H  2 


402 

■;Y.  it  vras  to  t!irive  :in'l  iacrc.isp.  until  it  sljuil  become  a  glorious 
kin2;tioin  even  \u  thi>  u-dild  ;  and,  at  the  proper  tiims  lie  will  trans- 
plant liis  kingdom  in  anothrr  v.'orld,  where  it  will  flourisli  and  he- 
C'l'.ns  much  more  gUirious.  Fiur  ir  will  be  the  saiue  kingdom.  And 
we  should  have  no  niore  doubt  that  he  will  better  and  beautify  hi? 
kingdom,  in  this  world,  than  in  the  next  world. 

We  need  not  feel  the  least  doubt,  but  that  new  heaven  and  neu* 
earth,  is  the  reformed  state  of  the  world,  in  the  time  of  the  Milien- 
riium.  Isaiah  65.  16 — 19,  where  he  is  evidently,  from  the  preced- 
ing part  of  the  chapter,  speaking  about  the  Millennium,  says, 
"  That  he  who  blesseth  himseiiin  the  earth,  shall  bless  hjmself  in 
the  God  of  truth  :  and  he  that  sweareth  in  I'^.e  earth,  shall  swear  by 
the  God  of  truth;  becauEe  the  former  troubles  are  forgotten,,  and 
because  tliey  are  hid  from  mine  eyes.  For,  behold,  I  create  new 
heavens  and  a  new  earth  :  and  the  former  shall  not  be  remembered, 
nor  come  into  mind.  But  be  ye  glad,  and  rejoice  forever  in  that 
which  I  create  :  for,  behold,  I  create  Jerusalem  a  rejoicing,  and 
her  people  a  j)y.  And  I  will  rejoice  in  Jerusalem,  and  joy  in  my 
people  :  and  ilis  voice  of  weeping  shall  be  no  more  heard  in  her,  nor 
the  voice  of  crying."  Notliing  need  be  plainer  than  this,  to  prove 
that  the  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth,  mean  the  reformed  state 
of  the  world,  in  the  time  of  the  Millennium.  And  this  new  state  of 
things  shall  never  come  to  nought,  or  be  diminished,  throughout  the 
Millennium,  nor  throughout  the  world  to  come  ;  although  this 
world  will  come  to  an  end.  All  the  real  improvement  made  in  the 
mora!  kingdom  of  Christ,  will  be  carried  forward  into  (he  world  to 
come.  Isaiah  66.  22.  says,  •♦  For  as  the  new  heavens  and  the  new 
earth,  which  I  will  make,  shall  remain  before  me,  saith  the  Lord, 
.^0  shall  your  seed  and  your  niune  remain."  Thus  we  see  this  re- 
i'ormation  ofthe  v.orld  shall  be  great  and  lasting,  and  well  worthy 
of  our  highest  hopes  and  fervent  prayers.  And,  accordingly,  Peter, 
in  2nd,  Pet.  3.  13,  after  having  spoke  "  of  the  coming  i.f  the  day 
of  God,  wherein  the  heavens,  being  on  fire,  shall  be  dissolvetl,  and 
the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat  ^"  be  adds,  "Nevertheless, 
we,  .according  to  his  promise,  look  for  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth, 
wherein  dwelleth  righteousness."  God  had  long  before  promised, 
in  the  Old  Testament,  that  the  nev/  heavens  and  new  earth,  or  this 
universal  reformation  of  the  world  should  take  place,  before  the  end  of 
the  world;  wherefore,  although  Peter  had  occasion  to  speak  ot  the  great 
conflagration  of  all  things;  yet  he  lets  us  know  that  he  looked  for 
that  premise  to  be  fulfilled  first  ;  and  then,  after  that,  the  earth,  and 
all  things  therein,  shall  be  burnt  up. 

Frooi  all  those  places  of  Scripture,  it   appears  to  me  certain, 
Oiat  the  new  heaven  and  the  new  earth,  do  mean  the  reformed  stale 


40;> 

ot'the  v7ori(i,  io  fhc  tipne  of  thf5  Millennium.  Tiiis'  reCorf.iatiiin 
takes  place  b'>th  in  Church  and  Staie;  -i^iioulturp,  tra'le?,  arts,  and 
?,oie)iies.  ()t  ••■vhich  there  will  be  an  univi^r::;a!  peace  cstablishinenf, 
over  the  whole  worUi,  •ivhiacini.';  every  th.irn;  with  which  mankind 
l^ave  any  concern.  And  e,vi-ry  thing  will  be  so  difTofent  from  what  it 
formerly  v.';'.s,  that  tliere  will  be  a  new  h.eaven  and  a  new  earth. 

•  But  the  New  Jerusalem,  called  the  Ho!}'-  City,  which  John  stv/. 
comini^  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  prepared  as  a  bride  adorned 
ior  her  h.usbiind,  is  the  Church,  in  the  iime  of  t!)c  Millennium.  And 
it  is  t!>c  savne  as  the  new  heaven.  This  is  {'no.  "  bride,  the  Lamb'iS 
wife."  "  Let  US-he  glad  and  rejoice,  and  give  honor  to  him  ;  for 
t'le  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife  hath  made  her- 
self ready.  And  to  her  was  granted,  that  sheshould  he  arrayed  in 
line  linen,  clean  an;'  white  :  for  the  fine  linen  is  the  righteousness 
of  Saints.  And  he  saith  unto  me,  Write,  Blessed  are  t'ley  whicii 
are  called  unto  the  marria(j;e-supper  of  the  Lamb.  And  he  saith 
unto  me,  These  are  the  U-uc  savings  of  God."  Rev.  19.  7 — 9. 
Matthew  22.  2,  c-ays,  <•  The  kingd.oii-s  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  cer- 
tain king,  which  made  a  marriage  for  his  son."  And,  Jer,  S.  1-1, 
says,  of  the  house  of  Israel,  "Return,  O  backsliding  ciilldren, 
saith  the  Lord,  for  I  am  married  unto  you."  And  .Rev.  22.  \7 — 
'*  And  the  Spirit  and  the  bride  say.  Come."  It  is  plain  enough  that 
the  Church  is  represented  as  the  bride,  the  Lamb's  v,-ife.  And  the 
new  heaven,  and  holy  city,  or  New-  Jerusalem,  coining  down  from 
God  out  of  heaven,  prepared  asa  bride  adorned  for  her  husband,  re- 
presents the  glory  and  excellence  of  the  Church,  in  the  time  of  the 
Millennium.  The  Bible  has  used  almost  every  form  and  manner  of 
representation  to  set  forth  to  view  the  transcendant  beauty  and  ex- 
cellence of  the  Church,  or  kingdom  of  Christ,  in  the  time  ofthel^lil- 
iennium.  And,  in  proportion  as  it  takes  the  lead,  and  adv;ince« 
in  wisdom  and  goodness,  which  are  its  glory  and  excellence  ;  so,  in 
proportion,  will  every  thing  else  advance  in  excellence. 

"The  Holy  City,  New  Jerusalem."  Here  the  figureof  a  beati- 
TifuI  city,  is  taken  to  represent  the  Church  in  the  Millennial  stai^ 
and  beauty. 

This  is  the  same  city  described  in  Ezekiel,  from  the  40th  to 
the  48th  chapter.  Ezekiel  says — "  In  the  visions  of  God  brought 
he  me  into  the  land  of  Israel,  and  set  me  upon  a  very  high  mountain, 
by  which  was  as  the  frame  of  a  city  on  the  South.  And  he  brought 
me  th'uher,  and,  behold,  there  was  a  man,  whose  appearance  was 
like  the  appearance  of  brass,  with  uliueoffiax  in  his  hand,  and  a 
meisurifig  reed  ;  and  he  >tood  in  the  gate.  And  the  niansaid  unto 
me,  son  pf  man,  behold  witii  thine  eyes,  and  hear  with  thine  earsy 
\ 
\ 

\ 


404 

a:':d  set'hinc  heart  upon  al!  that  I  shall  shew  the  ;  for  to  Ihe  intent  that 
I  niight  shew  thein  unto  thee  an  ihuu  broijght  'niihci-  :  declaie  all 
that  thfu  seest  to  the  house  of  fsrael."     40.  2—4. 

Ti'.en  the  inan,  wilh  (he  measuring  reed,  proceeded  to  measure 
t!.e  tempie,  with  all  its  chambers  and  ortiainents,  with  great  exacti- 
tude ;  and  then  to  shew  ti.e  returning  of  the  glory  of  God  into  (h^ 
temple.  And  then  the  city,  and  the  holy  land,  laid  out  for  the 
twelve  tribes  of  Israel.  Ail  this  is  a  figurative  representation  of 
the  temple,  Jerusnleivi,  or  the-Churc*',iti  the  time  of  IJic  MillenniuiYt, 
after  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel  shall  get  home  to  their  own  lavid^ 
And  he  was  particular  to  shew  that  the  Prince,  the  Saviour,  w  ho 
came  into  the  world,  dinerentlvfiom  any  one  else,  should  come 
into  tic  Church,  or  Tenpie  di'lerently  (Vomany  one  else.  See  46th 
chapter. 

Bat  the  4711!  ciiapter  sliews  tlic  head  ^.^aters  of  the  river  of !;("(?, 
iskiirig  ouf  fruin  utider  the  tijrej^hhold  of  the  house,  or  Temple,  east- 
ward, from  thcsout!;  side  of  the  altar.  Tli.  size  of  ibis  stream  in- 
creases, as  it  piecoeds,  until  it  beconics  a  great  liver  of  life,  *•  and 
every  thing  shall  live  whither  the  river  cometli."  And  the  city  has 
twelve  gates,  named  after  the  tvvelve  tribes  of  Israel.  ''And  tho 
name  of  the  r.iiy  from  that  day  >hali  be, 

Tlie  Lorti  is  there.'' 

Or,  Jeh.ovah  is  iiiere,  is  (he  proper  (ranslafien.  Jehovah  is  ihere, 
represents  that  the  three  Persons  of  the  Tritiity,  the  Father,  Son, 
an<;  Holy  Spiiit,  three  Persons,  but  one  God,  is  there.  This  a^^rees 
with  Jeremiah  33.  15 — 17.  '•'  In  those  days,  and  atthattime,  will 
I  c;iU>e  the  Br.-rsch  ot  righteousness  to  grow  up  unto  David  ;  arid  he 
shall  execute  jutlgment  and  righteousness  in  the  land.  In  those 
days  shall  Judnh  be  ?a\ed.  and  Jerusalem  shall  dwell  safely  :  and 
thiis  IS  the  nanse  wherewith  she  ^^hall  be  called.  The  Lord  our  righ- 
teousness. For  thus  saith  the  Lord  ;  David  shall  never  want  a  man 
"to  sit  upon  the  fhrone  of  the  house  of  Israel."  This  is  the  name 
wherewith  she  shall  be  called.  The  Lord,  or  Jehovah  our  righteous- 
ness. The  city  shall  be  callec  Jehovah  our  righteousness  j  and  Je- 
hovah is  there.  This  is  what  is  meant  by  [lutting  his  name  there. 
See  Deut.  12.  5.  '•  But  unto  the  place  which  the  Lord  your  Goil 
shall  choose  out  of  all  your  tribes  to  put  his  name  there,  even  unto 
his 'iibiiation  shall  ye  seek,  and  thilhei- shalt  tlmu  come."  Isaiah 
CO..i'.  "  And  they  shall  call  thee,  The  city  of  the  Lord,  Tiie 
Zinvi  of  the  Holy  One  of  Israel-"  And,  Daniel  9.  18,  19-—''  for  thy 
city,  and  ^hy  jeopls-  are  called,  by  thy  name."  The  Hofy  City,. 
Nev/  Jerusalem,  is  to  be  called  by  that  name. 


405 

Tliis  Teinpk'  iWid  ci'y,  of  Ezekifi,  liafl  a  wall  nrounii  it  An;l 
the  name  of  Je!u)v;,h  is  the  Wall  fif  Salvntiort,  or  Fower  of  Siifety. 
2.  Saml.  22.  3.  PjalmR  18.  2.  <'  At  tl>at  time  tiiey  shall  call  Je- 
rusalem the  throne  of  the  Lord  :  and  all  nations  shall  be  gathered 
tinto  it,  to  the  name  of  the  Lord,  to  Jerusalem  :  In  those  days  ihe 
house  of  Judah  shall  walk  with  tKe  house  of  Israel,  and  they  shall 
come  together  out  of  the  land  of  the  north  to  the  land  that  I  have 
given  for  an  inheritance  unto  your  fiV'oets."  Jer.  3.  17,  I^^» 
The  rth  chapter  of  Revelations,  has  reference  to  this  city  of  Ezc 
ki'  i.  AH  that  is  said,  in.thatTth  chapter,  has  reference  to  the  Mil- 
lennium, and  will,  all  of  it,.be  realizt'd  at  that  time,  and  forever. 
The  twelve  tribes  of  Israel  are  to  be  senled,  and  a  great  multitude 
such  as  no  man  can  number,  of  all  nations  and  people,  are  to  stan«i 
before  the  throne,  arid  before  the  Lamb.  And  the  Lamb,  who  is  ia 
'the  -nidstof  the  throne,  shall  feed  th-.^m,  and  shall  lead  them  unto 
livtno;ffi\!ntains  of  waters,  and  God  shall  wipe  away  ail  tears  from 
thoir  eves.  They  will  be  in  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth,  truly  ,5 
but  suc'i  will  be  the  times  of  the  Millennium. 

B;it  this  beautiful  city  of  Ezekiel,  is  the  same  which  John  sa'A'^ 
in  Reveia';ions  the  21st  and  22nd  chapters.  "-  And  1  John  saw  *he 
hoi  V  citv.  New  J^ni^alem,  comino;  down  from  Grod  out  of  heaven, 
prepared  as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  husband.  And  I  heard  a  ^reat 
voic-.^  rfut  of  heaven,  saying,  Behold,  t^ie  tabernacle  of  God  is  with 
fnen  nd  he  will  dwell  with  them,  ard  they  shall  be  his  people,  and 
God  himself  shall  bs  with  them,  and  be  their  God.  And  God  shall 
v.ipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes  :  and  there  shall  be  no  more 
death." — (there  shall  be  no  more  wages  of  sin,  which  is  death,  in 
this  New  Jerus-'ilem)- — '•'neither  sorrow  nor  crying,  neither  shall 
there  be  any  more  pain  :  for  the  former  things  are  passed  away.  And 
r,e  that  sat  upon  the  throne^  said.  Behold,  I  make  all  things  new. 
An;!  he  said  unto  mo,  Write  :  For  th.eso  v/ords  are  true  and  fc.iith- 
fnl.  And  he  said  un'iom.e.  It  is  done.  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega, 
iha  beginning  and  the  end.  I  will  give  unto  him  that  is  athirst,  of 
th.?.  foiiniain  nf  iJTe  water  oriife,  freely."  "  r\.T;d  ho  talked  with 
'.-.'.e,  s^iyiag.,  ('unic  hither,  I  will  shew  thee  the  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife. 
And  is  2  carried  meaway  inthe  Spirit  to  a  great  and  high  mountain," 
(ashe  did  Ezekiei,)':'-'  and  shewed  me  that  great  city,  the  holy  Je- 
jMsileni,  desccndir.g out  of  heaven  from  God,  Hiiving  the  glory  'd' 
God  :  a:iij  '.vr  light  was  li:;v;  unto  a  stone  most  precious,  even  like  a 
Jasper-stone,  clear  as  chrystal  ;  And  hud  a  wail  great  and  high,  and 
hav!  twelvegatof,  arid  at  the  gaies  twelve  angels,  and  names  \vr;itcn 
thereon,  wliicii  are  the  names  of  the  tvrelve  tribes  of  the  CMihlron  of 
Ij^raei'-'    Threi. gates  iu  each  -(luare  of  the  city,  just  as  Eztkie!  saw 


4i»S 

i(.  Jcihtvs  tvveWe  foundations  of  the  wall  of  the  city,  a^iee  wiCli 
Ezekif^ra  twelve  portions.  Ju!ui  says,  that  he  who  inoasured  the 
city,  had  ajju'den  reed.  Die  city  was  carefully  measured,  and  tire 
beauties  rf  i5ie  wail,  and  of  the  city,  distinctly  named,  to  shew  fortli 
itsgre:!'  bi-aufy  and  excellenci^  }3ytJohu  soy>,  "I  s:uv  noteiMple 
thciolii  :  (or  thv  Lord  God  Almight}',  and  t'se  Lamb  are  the  temple  of 
It."     This  repie$;ent«tioii  sheusthat  "Jehovah  is  there." 

"  And  the  city  had  no  n»'ed  of  the  sun,  neither  of  the  moon,-  to 
shine  iti  it  :  for  flie  itiwry  of  God  did  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the 
light  thereid.  And  the  r.ations  of  them  that  are  saved  shall  walk 
in  the  light  of  it  ;  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  do  bring  their  glory 
and  honour  into  it.  And  tUe  <jafes  of  it  shall  not  be  shut  at  all  by 
day  ;  for  there  .shall  be  no  night  there.  And  they  shall  bring  thcj 
glory  and  honour  of  the  nations  into  it.  And  there  shall  in  no  wise 
enter  into  it  any  thin";  that  dt-fileth,  neither  whatsoever  worketh 
abomination,  or  maketh  a  lie  :  but  they  which  are  written  in  the 
Lamb's  book  of  life."  "  And  he  shewed  me  a  pure  river  of  water 
of  life,  clear  as  chrystal,  proceeding  out  of  the  throne  of  God  and  of 
the  Lamb.  In  the  midst  of  tlie  street  of  it,  and  on  either  side  of 
the  river,  was  there  the  tree  of  life,  which  bare  twelve  manner  of 
fruits,  and  yielded  her  fruit  every  month  :  and  the  leaves  of  the  tree 
were  for  the  healing  of  the  nations.  And  there  sliall  be  no  mori 
curse  :  but  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb  shall  be  in  it  j  and 
his  servants  shall  serve  him  :  and  they  shall  see  his  face  ;  and  bi's 
name  shall  be  in  their  foreheads.  And  there  shall  be  no  night  there  : 
and  tiiey  need  no  candle,  neither  light  of  the  sun;  for  the  Lord 
God  g'veth  h?ir>  light,  and  they  shall  reign  forever  and  ever.  And 
he  said  unto  me,  These  sayings  sre  faithful  and  true  :  and  the  Lord 
God  of  the  holy  prophets  sent  his  angel,  to  shew  unto  his  servants 
the  things  which  must  shortly  be  done.  Behold,  I  come  quickly  : 
blessed  is  he  that  keepeth  the  sayings  of  the  pr(^phecy  of  this  book." 
And  ise  iiaith  unto  me,  Seal  not  the  sayings  of  i!ie  prophecy  of  this 
bjok  :  fi.r  the  time  is  at  hand."  In  the  1st  cliap'er  of  Rev.  I  —  3, 
Jo  :ii  started  outtode;  'are,  or  shew  unto  the  sciv  .litsof  Gvd,  "thi.igs 
wlilch  must  shortly  come  to  pass  ;  for  (he  time  is  at  hand." 

li  is  abundantly  evident  that  Ezekicl  and  John,  saw  ihe-xine 
and  tr.e  same  beautiful  city,  the  same  glory  of  God,  the  sane 
r';\cr  of  life  issning  from  the  throne  of  God,  the  same  trees 
of  life,  the  sauic  tjates  of  the  city,  and  the  same  nations  gathering 
into  the  city  through  (hose  gates,  from  the  four  (jiiarters  of  tlie 
world.  For  all  nations  shall  flow  info  it.  And  this  beautilu!  city, 
thi^  holy  city,  {\\h  New  Jerusalem,  this  new  he;=^^en,  this  lovely 
bncie,  the  La:i:b's  wife,  adorned  with  vi-e  jiUiry  of  (idd.  anci  the 
lighteuusnessof  Saints  ,is  the  Christian  Church,  in  the  time  of  the 


407 

Millennium.     The  only  reason  why  ony  one  i..  ;.i,  .,  tijat 

t'de  description  of  it  is   too  glorious  for  this    ',v(,ri<i,   ii'=,    u-.ey   inighi 
ii;ink;    and    they    might,    therefore,    suppose    it    was.  some diii)^^- 
{'or  the  next  world,     AVhereas,  in  fact,  the  descriptinu  of  its  tran- 
scend«iit  beauty,  and  excellent   gioiy,  fit-  it  well,   in    tl-iis    \vorl<i 
only;  for,  in  th.e  v/orld  to  coirie,    it    \iill   be   so  transccndently  ex- 
■ellcnt    iii    beauty    ai.d    ^\ory,    and    happiness,    that  it  will    sur- 
j  ass    ail    description.       For  i\ye   hath   not  seen   nor    ear    heard, 
ueitt'.er  hath  it  entered  ioto  thshc/irt  (d'man  to  conceive,  "  the  things 
{'hat  God   hach  prepared  for   ihern  thiit   love  him,"  in    the   world  to 
come.    1  Cor.    i2.   9.     Tiie  greatest  exctlience.  which  the  charch  of 
©hrist   can  ever   u'tain   in  tiiia  woild,   or  that   could  be  desctibed, 
will  only  prepare  it  for  a  begitining,  in  tiie  world  to  cotnc.      Where- 
fore we  err  very  much,  if  we  take  the  beautiful  descriptions  of  what 
tlie  church  shall  be  in  this  world,  and  apply  them  to  it,  in  tlie  world 
to  -come.     *«Beljold  the    tabernacle   of  God  is  with   rnen."     This 
ticrtaiuly  uMeans  here  io  this  Wi>rld.  "  I  John  saw  the  holy  city,  New 
Jerosdlcm,    CDmiog  down  from  Gad    out  of  heaven,  prepared  as  a 
Sride  adorned  (or  iier   b.ir^band.     And  I   heani  a   great  voice  out  of 
heaven,  say! u<;-,    Bciii)!i';,  tlie  iaberiiaclc   of  God  is  with   uieii,   and 
he  Vvili  (J  well  wiih  them,  and  they  shall  be  his  pe-'[!le,  and   God  him- 
self shall  be  with  thfui,  arul  be  their  God."      This  certainly  means 
here  on  cardi,  and  not  after  good  soen  die  and  go  to  heaven:  for  John 
saw  the  New  Jerusaleni,  couiing  down  from  God  out  of  heaven   And 
it   was    one  of  the  things  that  was  shortly   to   coine  to  pass*      Wc 
were  not  to  wait   for  it,   until  we  go  into  eternity  ;  we  are   to  look 
for  it  to  take  place,  in  this  world,  time  enough   for  the  world  to  be 
renewed  and  bettered  by  it;   "  i(n\  behold,  I  make  all  things  new." 
Thii  guji-ious  and  desirable  fact  is  to  take  place,  in  cleansing  the 
Sinctuary,  and  to  remain  throughout  the  Millennium,   aiid  through- 
out eternity  ;  for  his  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom.      -'Let 
us  be    glad    and  rejoice,   and   give   honotir  to  him  :  for  the  mar- 
ciage  of  t' e    Lamb    is  come,   and    his   wife    hath    made    herself 
ready.     And  to  her  was  granted  that  she  should  be  arrayed  in  line 
.linen,    clean  and  white  :    for  the  fine  linen  is  the  righteousness  ojf 
^Saints."    ''Fo    I  would  not,  brethren,  that  ye  should    be  ignorant; 
of  this  mystery,  that  blindness  in  part  is  hapnenpd  to  Israel,  until  ihc 
fulness  of  the  Gentiles  be   come    in.      And    so  all   Israel  shall  be 
Sfived."     '"Audit   shall  come   to  pass  in  the   last  days,   that   the 
mountain  of  the  Lord's  house  shall   be  est.'blislied  in  tiie  top  of  the 
mountains,  and  shall  be  exalted  above  the  hilUjand  all  riiitiotis  sha:i 
flow  unto  it.    For  out  of  Zion  shall  go  toiih  tiie  l.ivv,  ad  the  word  of 
tlie  Lord  irum  Jerusalem.     Aud  tiiey  shai4    beat  their  swords  into 


408 

j);ou^hsheai.^,  and  ilieir  spiars  inlopruning-liooks  :  nation  slutii  i;..- 
lift  up  swore]  against  nation,  tieitliei  shall  they  learn  war  anj,  moro 
Tiie  wolf' also  shall  (^!  well  with  the  iamb,  and  the  leopard  bTlall  lie 
dov.n  wlih  the  \:u\  5  a..d  the  calf  and  the  young  lion  and  the  fatling 
together,- and  a  little  child  shall  lead  them.  They  shall  not  hurt 
nor  destroy  in  all  nij  holy  mountain.  And  in  Iha*.  day,  there  biiali 
be  a  root  of  Jesse,  vvhicl!  shall  stand  for  an  ensign  oi  the  people; 
to  it  shall  the  Gentiles  seek  :  and  hi>  rest  shall  be  gioiiuus. "  "  And 
an  higii  way  sh^li  be  there,  and  it  sljail  be  called  ti>e  way  of  holiness, 
As.d  I  will  extend  peace  to  Js'rusaleui,  like  a  river,  and  tl;e 
glnry  of  the  Gentiles  like  a  flowing  streaits."  "'■  Therefore,  bu^ 
hold  the  days  come,  saitii  the  Lord,  tiiat  they  shall  no  more  say,  the 
Lord  livetii  whicn  brs.Uiiiit  tne  chiidren  ni"  i-,r;iel  uui  of  the  land  (i 
ii:^5.-yi-'  5  iJul  the  Lord  hneth,  wliirh  br.e.i^lit  up  and  v.hieh  led  the 
seed  of  the  lumse  of  Israel  out  of  the  north  country,  and  from  nil 
countries  whither  1  had  driven  them  ;  and  they  shall  dwell  in -tlieir 
own  Und."  "  A  id  f  will  ti;luriry  the  house  of  my  glory."  "  Who 
are  tliese  that  iiy  as  a  cli.ud,  and  as  the  doves  to  ttjeir  wimluws'r 
surely  the  isle.s  shall  wait  for  me,  and  the  ships  of  Tarshi>h  iirst,  ta 
bring  thy  sons  from  fitr,  tixdr  si  vt-rand  tliere  gold  with  them,  u?  to 
the  name  c  f  tlie  Lord  th-\  (jod.  and  to  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  be- 
cHUse  he  hath  }i;l()ri(]fd  tliee  ''  '•  Tiiejelori^  thy  gates  shall  be  open 
continually  ;  they  shall  not  be  shat  ttiy  nor  night  ;  that  vnen  may 
bring  uiito  th.e  forces  oi  the  Geot.ies.  as.d  thut  their  kings  may  be 
brought"  "  Tneglury  of  Lebanon  shall  come  unto  thee,  the  fir  tiee, 
the  pine-tree,  and  the  box  together,  to  beautify  the  place  of  my 
Sanctuiry;  and  I  will  make  the  place  of  my  feet  glorious."  "And 
tl.ey  sh.di  rail  thee,  The  city  of  the  Lord,  the  Zion  of  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel.  Whereas  thou  husjt  b;  en  forsaken  and  hated,  so 
that  no  man  went  furough  thee,  I  will  msike  thee  an  eternal  excel- 
lency, a  ;oy  of  many  generations. 

"Thou  shall  also  suck  the  milk  of  the  Gentiles,  and  shall  suck 
tl  e  breast  of  kings:  and  thou  shalt  know  that  I  the  Lord  am  thy 
Saviour  and  thy  Redfemer,  the  mighty  Gne  of  Jacob.  For  brass  I 
will  bring  gold,  and  for  iron  I  will  bring  silver,  and  for  wood 
bras>,  aid  for  stones  iron  :  I  will  also  make  thy  officers  ptace, 
and  thine  exactors  righieousness. 

^'Violence  shall  no  more  be  heard  in  th^  hmd,  wasting  nor 
destruction  within  thv  bor'lers  :  but  thou  shalt  c;ili  d.y  walls  .Salva- 
tion, and  thy  gates  Praise.  The  sun  shall  be  no  m«)re  thy  lighi  by 
day  :  neither  for  brightness  shall  the  moon  give  liglii  untofhee  :  but 
the  L'ird  shall  be  unto  thee  an  everlasting,  lii-ht,  and  di^-  God  thj 
glory.     Tiiv  sun  shall  no  more  go  down  ;   uetthtf:  shall    thy  mooa 


4;Q9 

withdraw  itself:  for  the  Lord  shali  be  thine  eveilastiug  light,  ami 
the  du^'s  of  thy  mourning  shall  be  ended.  Thy  people  alsosliall  ha  ail 
ria-hteous  :  they  shall  inherit  the  land  forever,  the  branch  of  my 
planting,  the  work  of  jny  hands,  that  I  maybe  glontied,  A  little 
one  shall  become  a  thousand,  and  a, small  one  a  strong  nation  :  I  the 
Lord  will  hasten  itin  its  time." 

"For  Zion's sake  I  wdl  not  hold  my  peace,  and  for  Jerusalem's 
sake  I  will  not  rest,  until  the  righteousness  thereof  go  forth  as 
brightness,  and  the  salvation  thereof  asa  lavnp  that  burneth.  And 
the  Gentiles  shall  see  thy  righteousness,  and  all  kings  thy  glory: 
and  thou  Shalt  be  called  by  a  new  name,  which  the  mouth  of  the 
Lord  shall  name.  Thou  shalt  also  be  a  crown  of  glory  in  the  hand 
of  the  Lord,  and  a  royal  diadem  in  the  band  of  thy  God."  "  I  have 
set  watchmen  upon  thy  walls,  O  Jerusalem,  which  shall  never  hold 
their  peace  day  nor  night.:  ye  that  n^ike  mentioii  (;f  the  Lord,  keep 
not  silence  ;  and  give  him  no  rest,  till  he  establish,  and  till  he 
make  Jerusalem  a  praise  in  the  earth."  "Beheld,  the  Lurd  t.Liili 
proclaimed  unto  the  end  of  the  world,  Say  ye  to  the  daughter  of 
Zion,  Behold,  thy  salvation  cometh.  " 

The  strongest  forms  and  highest  strains  of  phraseology,  tluit 
language  will  admit,  has  been  u^ed  in  the  Bible,  to  represent  the 
beauty  and  excellence,  the  goodness  and  greatness,  grandeur  and 
glory  of  the  state  of  the  world  in  the  time  of  the  Millennium  ;  when.* 
beiiold,  all  things  shall  be  made  new.  And  now,  reader,  suppose 
the  date  of  the  new  heavens  and  new  earth,  or  the  Millennium,  -  hali 
begin  on  the  27th  day  of  March,  18S7,  according  to  the  foregoing 
calculation,  and  continue  360,000  prophetic  years  ;  let  your  iinugi- 
iiatioD,  corrected  according  to  the  Bible  sense  of  propriety  and  or- 
der, go  down  that  stream  of  time  to  its  distant  ages,  and  fancy  to 
yourself  every  amendment  and  improvement,  carried  on  to  such  ^x 
cellence,  that  God  might  say,  "  Behold,  1  have  made  all  things 
Bew  ;"  and  then  ask  yourself  if  it  is  any  wonder  that  human  lan- 
guage should  fail  to  describe  it.  And  then  remember  that  all  this  is 
only  the  beginning  of  the  ways  of  God  ;  for  there  is  an  unbound  d 
eternity  still  before  you  j  and,  if  the  excellent  glory  of  the  king- 
dom of  Christ  will  be  too  great,  even  in  this  world,  to  be  described 
in  language  ;  then,  in  the  world  to  come,  it  will  far  surpass  all  hu- 
man conception  and  imagination. 

Truly,  the  contrast  will  be  amazingly  great,  if  the  excellent  and 
glorious  state  ot  the  world,  in  the  time  of  the  Millennium,  be  com- 
pared with  Its  guilty,  degraded,  and  hateful  state,  before  the  Mil- 
lennium. But  why  should  we  doubt  }  Has  not  God  said  st  i'  And 
shall  he  not  perioral  it  ?    This  world  is  a  state  of  preparation   lor 


.4ie) 

the  eternal  world  ;  an<!  why  should  there  nut  be  great  prepat-atiou 
made  ?  There  is  no  likeldKiod  that  it  will  be  greater  at  the  very 
best,  than  is  needed.  Where  sin  abounded,  let  grace  much  more 
abound,  even  in  this  \vi;rld.  Why  should  not  the  all  conquering 
i^racc  of  God,  be  displayed  in  this  world,  in  making  all  things  new  r 
is  n(.t  iliis  tl'.e  sinlul  world  for  which  Chri&t  died  ?  And  sh.all  he 
r.olsto  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  be  satisfied  ?  Will  his  infr 
.nUeJy  benevolent  soul  be  satisfied  with  something  less  ?  Let  not 
the  greatness,  the  excellencejand  glory  of  this  new  creation,  deter 
us  from  expecting  it.  For  this  is  one  reason  why  we  should,  in 
earnest  expectation,  wait  in  hope  and  prayer  for  it. 

If  all  tl'.ings  s'iall  be  made  new,  or  if  all  the  kingdoms  of  this 
jycrld,  sli'il!  bero;>'o  i;!C  kinctlunis  of  our  Lord  and  cf  his  C'nisr,  ami 
continue  for  one  tl^.cr.si:i;d .  years,  it  will   be  something  great  and 
-iouch   to   be  d-v'?irtd  j  but,    much    more   so,    if   it   shall   continue 
(50.000  years.     Of  the  miglity  many  millions  that  shall    be  saved, 
!  I '  multitude  will  be  so  groat  that  no  man  can  uumbei  then)    While, 
i  the  other  h^nd,  the  number  lost  will  be  very  small,   when  com- 
;  iri.'d  with  th.ut  {iiie.it   muhitude  of  the  human   family  that  shall  be 
.^.iveil.     Ihls  will  be  true,  whether  the  Mdtennium  shall  continue 
:ni(  a  thousand  years,  or  360,000.     But,  if  it  shall  continue  SCO, 000 
years,  then  the  diS'erence  will  be  so  much  the  grea!er,  and   the  tri- 
umph of  tlie  Cuptain  of  Salvation,  so  much  the  more   conspicuous 
and  glorious.     And  there  is  nothing  standing  in  the  uay  to  prevent 
any  part  of  it,  but  the  Devil,  and  the  ignorance,  stupidity,  and  hate- 
ful wickedness  that  are  in  the  world  ;  the  very  things  which  God  has 
promised  to  put  out  of  the  way.     And  he  will  hasten  it  in  its  time. 
Whcicfore,  the  friends  of  God,  and  "of  the  Millennium,    have 
threat  occaHioa  to  rejoice  and  be  glad,  and  give  honor  to  God  and  to 
the  Lamb,  and  to  congratulate  the  good  people  of  the  Millennium, 
'■'for they  are  the  blessed  of  the  Lord,  and  their  oSspring   with 
them."     "Blessed  is  he  that  waiteth,  and  cometh  to  the  thousand 
three  hundred  and  five  and  thirty  days."     Daniel   12.12.     Fur  this 
is  the  first  year  of  the  Millennium.      And  blessed   are  all  they  that 
live  ant)  die  in  the  Millennium  ;  for  God  shall  wipe  awav  all  tears 
rem  their  eyes.     And  let  us,  who  now  live  and  bear  the  burden  and 
beat  of  the  day,  rejoice  in  the  prospects  of  our  guilty   and  fallen 
\yorld  ;  for  the  former  troubles  shall  be  forgotten,  and,  behold,  Gud 
will  create  new  heavens  atid  a  new  earth,  and  the  former  shall    not 
be  remembered,  nor  come  into  mind  ;  wherefore,  let  us  rejoice  fore- 
ver  in  fnat  which  God  creates  ;  for,  behold,   he  will  create  Jerusa- 
lem a  rejoicltig  and  hev  people   a' ji-y.     Isaiah  65.   iG — 18      "Re- 
joice ye  with  Jerusalem,  and  be  glad  with  her,  all  ye  that  love  her: 


rejoice  for  joj  witii  her,  all  ve.  lliat  inouni  lur  her  ;  liial  ye  in:'.y 
suck,  aiul  be  satisfied  with  the  breasts  of  Iut  consolations  f'that  yr 
may  milk  out,  and  be  (telighted  with  the  abuinlance  ot"  her  glory. 
For  thus  saith  the  Lord,  Behold,  I  will  extend  peace  to  her  like  a 
river,  an<l  the  glory  of  the  Getstiles  like  a  (lowing  stream."  Isaiah 
C6.  10— I^'j.  And  this  will  continue  on  until  the  end  <;!"  (iie  Mil- 
lennium. 


AHertiie  Devil  has  been  bound,  by  the  chains  of  God's  eternal  jnu- 
poses  and  truth,  for  a  thousand  years,  or  throughout  the  Millennium, 
heistobe  •' looaed  a  little  season  ;"  see  Rev,  20.  S;  "And  when 
the  thousand  years  are  expired,  Satan  shall  be  loosed  out  of  hisp- isor, 
And  sh.all  go  out  to  decieve  the  nations  which  are  in  the  four  quai- 
ters  of  the  earth,  Go^  and  Magog,  to  gather. them  together  to  bat- 
tle ;  the  number  of  whom  is  as  the  sand  of  the  sea.  And  they 
went  up  on  the  breadth  of  the  earth,  and  compassed  the  camp  (-f  i'  t* 
Saints  about,  and  the  beloved  city  :  and  fire  came  do'AH  from  iimi 
out  of  heaven,  and'devoured  them."    Rev.  20.  7 — 9. 

Directly,  when  the  Millennium  is  out,  Satan  is  to  be  loosed, 
and  he  will  go  about  over  the  world  as  heretofore,  or  before  he  was 
bound,  with  all  his  arts  of  deception,  to  decieve  the  nations,  in  the 
difu-rent  parts  of  the  vporld,  and  toinducethem  to  Turn  in  opposition 
to  Christianity  ;  and  to  break  up  the  long-lived  peace  establishn^.ent 
that  had  prevailed  over  the  world  for  so  many  ages;  and  once 
move  to  introduce  war  and  bloodshed,  rapine  and  viliany.  And 
he  v.'iil  prove  too  successful;  for  he  will  fi^id  many,  who  v/ere  born 
some  short  time  bofore  the  Millennium  was  out,  and  whose  hearts 
had  not  been  renewed  when  the  Millennium  ended,  and  these  will 
be  taken  and  overcome  by  his  deceptions,  and  will  be  gathered  tc- 
geth.er  for  battle  from  all  parts  of  the  earth.  He  will  deceive  (hern,  a"s 
lie  did  Gog  and  Magog,  before  the  Millennium  began;  see  Ezek.  SStls 
and  59ih  chapters;  and  lie  will  gather  them  together  in  great  nuiji- 
bers  for  bittle.  as.  he  did  Gog  and  Magog  ;  and  they  will  have  in 
view  to  acomplish  the  same  object  that  Magog  had  in  vi?w,  before 
the  Millennium  began.  No  doubt  th'eir  object  will  be  to  take  a 
spoiland  to  take  a  prey,  to  carry  away  silver  and  gold,  to  take  away 
cattleand  goods,  to  lake  a  great  spoil  :  for  plunder  is  the  natural  sri- 
nmlant  of  war.  And  they  will  "compass  the  camp  of  the  Saints  about, 
and  the  beloved  city."  Although  the  war-party  will  be.  numer- 
ous, yet  the  people  will  not  all  be  of  that  party,  nor  perhaps  a  mujori- 


41.2 

.  rcib.ajiS  but  a  small  [,'ir.p(jrtionof  the  vvluiic,  laay  be  taken  by  the 
v.ili's  of  the  Devi! ;  wliile  the  greiit  ujajoritj  may  have  put  on  the 
uhuleannor  of  GoJ,  and  maybe  able  to  withstand  all  his  decep- 
tions. Tnc  camp  of  the  Saints,  may  mean  the  ditferent  places  over 
th>  world,  where  the  penple  have  assembled  to  worship  God  ;  and 
the  beloved  city,  ui.iy  mean  Jerusalem,  which  will  be  the  Metro- 
;)!lis  of  the  Ciiristian  world,  and  the  represenfative  of  the  New  Je- 
fj.'aleui  or  Chrisiian  Church.  It  may  be  the  plan  of  the  Devil^ 
t)  make  this  attack  in  many  places  over  the  world  at  one  and  the 
same  time  ;  and  thiit,  too,  when  they  b.ave  assembled  for  worship. 
For  it  win,  no  doubt,  be  bis  desire  to  do  the  greatest  possible  mis- 
chi*'f,  by  wav  of  taking  vengeance  for  his  long-confinement  inprison, 
in  the  lime  ol  the  Millennium. 

But  the  Devil  and  his  company,  will  meet  with  a  wonderful 
uisajjpointment;  they  will  only  shew  their  hateful  disposition  to  do 
mischief,  without  getting  to  do  it.  No  battle  will  be  foughtj  no 
blood  shed  ;  no  plunder  taken.  Tbey  will  do  nothing,  but  "  com- 
•puss  the  camp  of  the  Saints  about,  and  the  beloved  city."  But 
;  :  t  at  the  time  when  they  are  about  to  commence  the  attack,  fire 
J!l  come  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  and  devour  them.  This 
interposition  of  God,  in  favour  of  his  people,  will  be  even  more  con- 
spicuous, if  possible,  tb.an  that  in  the  battle  of  Gog  and  Magog, 
before  the  Mellennium  begins.  Fire  will  comedown  from  God  out 
of  heaven,  and  devour  them.  Pcrliaps  this  fire  will  be  the  lightnings 
of  heaven,  let  loose  upon  them  for  their  daring  wickedness.  Truly, 
iii  the  battle  of  Gog  and  Ma^og,  before  the  Mellennium,  "The 
Lord  will  come  with  fire,  and  with  his  chariots  like  a  whirlwind,  to 
vender  his  anger  with  fury,  and  his  rebuke  withfiames  of  fire.  For 
bv  fire  and  by  his  sword  will  the  Lord  plead  with  all  flesh  :  and  the 
slain  of  the  Lord  shall  be  many."  Pestilence  and  famine  are  also 
to  be  employed,  before  the  Mellennium,  in  the  battle  of  Gog  and 
M;igog.  But  fire  alone  appears  to  be  tiie  instument,  in  the  hand  of 
God,  that  will  be  employed  for  the  destruction  of  the  mob  of  the 
Devil,  in  the  time  of  the  Little  Seas(m.  And  this  vc:Sy  leprcsent 
the.  suddenness  and  i^pcod  with  which  their  (le.^truc'.inn  will  come 
Tipon  them. 

The  Saints  will  have  It-lf  their  Camp,  and  their  beloved  City. 
or  Jerusalem,  just  before  the  lire  comes  down  Irom  God,  and  destroys 
the  wicked.  Perhaps  (he  Saints,  tliat  may  be  at  ihat  tijue  on  the 
earth,  or  in  tire  Camps  and  in  the  beloved  City,  may  ail  be  changed 
from  mortal  to  immortality,  »'  in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye,  at  the  lasttruo-.p  ;"  1.  Cor,  15.  52;  and  go  right  oft'tojudg- 
men*,  an<!  t>  'leavei;  nbnve.  there  to  bef'')r-ever  with  the  Lord.     S;p 


41;) 

cniv^-ersaLioa  i<n  the  Resurrection  and  General  Judgment.  Iloweve;-, 
it  is  certain  that  no  evil  will  befall  them,  for  they  are  the  bloi^sad  of' 
the  Li)r'J,  and  he  will  preserve  them. 

Perhaps  the  fire  that  will  come  down  from  God,  out  of  heaver, 
and  devour  the  wicked,  in  the  time  of  the  Jiittle  Season,  will  bo  the 
commencement  of  the  great  and  general  conflagration  of  all  things. 
No  doubt  this  is  meant  in  2.  Peter,  3.  7—14.  '*  But  the  heavens 
and  the  earth,  which  are  now,  by  thesame  word  are  kept  in  store, 
reserved  unto  lire,  against  the  day  of  judgment  and  perdition  of  un- 
gpdly  men."  "  But  the  day  of  the  Lord  will  come  as  a  thief  in  the 
night ;  in  the  which  the  heavens  shall  pass  away  with  a  great  noise, 
and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat,  the  earth  also,  and 
the  works  that  are  therein,  shall  be  burnt  up."  The  heavens  and 
the  earth  which  are  now— spoken  of  in  2  Peter,  3.  7 — mean  now  af- 
ter the  Flood  -,  in  distinction  from  the  heavens  and  the  eaith.  hel'ore 
the  Flood,  which  were  drowned  with  water.  The  world,  after  the 
Flood,  shall  no  more  perish  by  water,  but  it  shall  perish  by  fire. 
And  I  understand  that,  as  the  world,  that  is,  the  wicked  people,  and 
every  thing  that  water  would  destroy,  except  the  few  righteous  people 
that  were  saved  in  the  ark,  were  destroyed  by  water  ,•  so,  now,  or 
next,  in  the  Little  Season,  the  world,  that  is,  the  wicked  people,  and 
every  thing  that  fire  will  destroy,  except  the. righteous  that  will  be 
borne  up  to  heaven  above,  in  the  Ark  of  Salvation,  will  be  destroy- 
ed by  fire. 

And  this  will  be  the  end  of  our  guilty  and  fallen  world.  The 
last  son  and  daughter,  in  the  long  line  of  fallen  Adam,  will  have 
come,  and  passed  away  ;  and  we,  the  whole  human  family,  may  all 
join  together  in  the  solemn  reflection  that  the  place  that  once  knevy 
us,  shall  know  us  no  more.  This  will  be  what  is  called  the  end  of 
the  world.  This  is  the  period  for  which  the  Disciples  enquired,  '"say- 
ng,  Tell  us  when  shall  the^e  things  be?  and  what  shall  be  the  sigh 
of  thy  coming,  and  of  the  end  of  the  world  ?"  Matth.  23.  3.  Christ 
answered,  "  But  of  that  day  and  of  that  hour  knoweth  no  man,  no, 
nat  the  angels  which  are  in  heaven,  neither  the  Son,  but  the 
Father."  Mark  13.  32.  It  seems  that  God  has  kept  that  particu- 
lar point  of  information  out  of  the  Bible,  as  he  has  the  time  of  the 
death  of  individuals.  It  was  not  intendedthat  we  should  know, 
before  it  takes  place,  exactly  when  the  end  of  the  world  shall  be. 
We  can  know  that  the  world  and  the  Little  Season  both  will  end 
together  ;  but  we  cannot  ascertain  the  length  of  'he  Little  Season. 

The  Prophets  have  given  us  the  exact  length  of  time,  from  the 
going  forth  of  the  commandment  to  restore  anil  to  rebuild  Jerusalem, 
fdxir  hundred  and  ninet-v  prophetic  .rears  botoie  the  death  of  C'lriM., 
112 


414. 

...i  i:io  ■.viiv  it..,ui»  unite  em!  of  tiie  Minenniuin,  and  (he  be^insilng  of 
liie  Littie  Se»S'.)ii.  as  may  be  se€ii  iroin  the  calcuUtiuns.  But  the 
leng  h  o(  ti  e  Link  Sfasuii  lias  not  bean  given,  as  I  can  see,  in  any 
part  of  the  Bible.  If  the  U>u»ih  of  the  Little  Season  hud  been  given, 
we  might  know  exactly  uhenSihe.  end  ofthe  world  will  be  ;  tor  the 
world  and  the  Liit'e  irtason  will  end  together.  The  General  Judg- 
ment was  to  begin  at  the  end  ofthe  Beast's  reign,  when  the  Beast 
was  to  be  slaii'.  See  Danl.  7.  '.i— 11.  See,  also,  the  Conversation 
on  the  Restirrectioii  and  Judgnutit.  But  we  have  not  been  inJ'orni- 
od  exactly  v,'hen  the  Judguient  will  end  ;  but  it  will  be  alter  all  the 
wicked  are  judged. 

,  Hov/  solemn  and  awful  must  be  that  hour  when  God  shall  wind 
vp  all  things  heie  below  ;  when  the  whole  earth  shall  be  deserted 
lorcver  by  the  wliole  human  family,  and  the  places  that  once  knew 
iheiii  shall  know  them  no  mo;e  foi.ever  !  When  Adam  and  hi^  un- 
numbered t;unily  shall  meet,  just  at  tlie  borders  of  departing  time, 
and  a  nevti  ending  eternity  opening  up  to  the  view  of  his  younges* 
children  !  ^^'hen  God  shall  transplant  the  wholehuman  race  in  the 
eternul  woiM  ;  the  m.ighty  iiiany  millions  of  Saints,  living  over  this 
whol '  world  at  the  time,  being,  as  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  carried 
in  the  chariots  of  Salvation  to  their  heavenly  mansions  ;  while  the 
vicked,  having  compassed  the  catnp  of  the  Saints,  and  just  ready 
tostrika  their  first  blow  upon  them,  will  be  hurried  by  the  light- 
nings of  heaven,  to  meet  and  hear  their  eternal  doom  :  Adam,  and 
the  balance  of  the  family,  having  gone  before  them,  and  waiting  for 
their  coming  ! 

What  a  mighty  moving  !  and  what  a  frightful  hurry  !  This 
\yorld,  one  moment,  filled  full  of  people,  and  the  next  moment  emp- 
ty ;  never,  never  to  be  inhabited  again  by  any  of  the  san)e  race:  all, 
all  having  moved  to  a  strange  and  untried  world,  from  whence  they 
never,  never  will  reiurn.  0,  my  soul,  shall  I  be  there  !  "  Eterni- 
ty, eternity,  thou  pleasing,  dreadful  thought  !"  Shall  I  be  there, 
j'l-nd  shall  I  find  a  "  better  country,"  or  shall  I  not  I 

"This  is  the  day  that  Godbalh  given, 
"To  'scape  from  hell,  and  fly  to  heaven.*' 

Blessed  be  God,  '^  that  life  and  immortality  hath  been  brought 
to  light  through  the  Gospel."  And  Jesus  Christ  is  able  to  save 
them  to  the  uttermost,  that  come  unto  God  by  him,  seeing  he  ever 
liveth  to  make  intercession  for  them.  The  door  of  mercy  and  sal- 
vation is  yet  open  before  our  tallen  and  guilty  world,  and  all  are  in- 
vited to  enter  in,  and  live.  Work,  therefore,  while  it  is  called  to- 
*day5  tor  the  night  coraeth,  when  no  man  can.  work.  Along,  dark,  and 


415 

liorriblc  etyrnity,  ties  before  u!!  that  live  and  rlie  without  *'  rt>pont- 
ance.  tO'.vaivis  Gix-i,  uud  i'mlh  towaruj  our  Lord  Jesus  Ciirist. "  And 
now  readiT,  I  iuiiteut  jou,  by  nil  the  solemnities  of  the  et'-rnil 
world,  tiuit  you  think  of  these  things.  Life  and  death,  hea- 
ven and  heil,  are  set  before  you;  choose  which  you  will.  Hut 
why  will  you  die  ?  *•  it  is  done.  lam  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  be- 
;^inningand  the  end  :  I  will  give  unto  him  that  is  athirst,  of  the 
fountain  of  the  w.iter  of  life  freely."  "  And  the  Spirit  and  the  bri  ie 
say,  Couie.  And  let  him  that  heareth,  say.  Come.  And  let  !ii';.ri 
that  is  athirst,  Conie;  And  whosoever  will,  let  him  take  of  the  v.-a- 
ter  of  life  freely."  "  Blessed  is  he  that  keepeth  the  savings  of  the 
projjhecy  of  this  book."  '^  And  btes'^ed  are  they  that  do  riis  co:n- 
m.audmcnts,  that  they  may  have  rightto  tlie  tree  of  life,  and  ■may  e?!- 
-ter  in  through  the  gates  into  the  city." 


From  tlie  subject  of  the  Prophecies,  every  one  ought  to  feel 
like  Paul,  and  might  exclaim,  '•  O  the  depth  uf  t!ie  riches,  boili  of 
the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God  !  ho'.v  unsearchable  are  his 
Judgments,  and  his  ways  past  finding  outi"  Rom.  IL  33.  The 
wonderfully  complicated  arrangements  of  God,  even  in  this  world, 
far  surpasses  all  human  conception.  And  yet  he  has  them  all,  in 
the  most  complete  regularity  and  order,  from  the  first  creation 
down  to  the  final  consummation  of  all  things.  Not  one  sp;irrovv  oV 
hair  shall  fall  to  the  ground  ^vithout  his  notice.  He  declares  the 
end,  from  the  beginning,  saying,  My  counsel  shall  stand,  and  {  vAU 
do  all  my  pleasure.  He  has  given  us  a  regular  chnn  of  important 
events,  together  with  their  dates,  from  four  hundred  and  ninety 
prophetic  years  before  the  death  of  Christ,  down  to  the  end 
of  the  Mellinnium;  and  he  has  extended  the  chain  of  events 
down  through  eternity,  but  he  has  not  given  the  dates  further 
than  to  the  end  of  the  Millennium.  The  present  stale  of  tiie  world 
is  a  witness  for  the  wisdom  and  truth  of  God  and  the  Bible.  The 
house  of  Israel,  and  the  house  ofJudah,  in  their  present  dispersed 
situations,  are  standing  witnesses  for  the  wisdom  and  truth  of  God 
and  the  Bible.  God  had,  long  ago,  foretold  that  they  should  be  as 
they  really  are  and  have  been.  And,  as  God  has  watched  overthera 
for  evil,  "to  pluck  up,  and  to  break  down,  and  to  throw  down, 
and  to  destroy,  and  to  afflict,"  according  to  his  threats  ;  so  we  may 
fee!  confident  that  he  will  yet  watch  over  them  for  goi.d,  "  to  luiild 
and  to  plant,"  according  to  his  promises.     <'  Thus  saith  the  Lord 


(  r  hosts,  the  God  of  Israrl  ;  Asycl  tlicv  si:a:!  u^o  ('hiK  rncceli  in  the 
lard  oi  Judah  and  in  the  cities  therc-f,  wheti  I  shall  bi'inq;  again 
ihfir  captivity  :  Tho  Lord  bless  thee.  ()  habi'u'lion  of  justice,  and 
mcMin^^ain  of  lioHncsss."  Jer.  TjI.  23 — 28.  T'lis  i?  a  prophecy  yet 
t(i  be  fulfilled.  The  rise  and  fall  of  the  Grecian,  or  ^Macedonian 
rn  d  Ilfunan  Empii-cs,  and  their  divisions,  one  info  I'our,  and  the 
(.t  cr  into  ten  kingdoms,  iire  particularly  striking  ;  and  should  give 
lis  great  confidence  in  the  truth  of  propliecy..  And  the  rise  and  con- 
tiruanceof  the  two  little  horns,  the  Western  and  I'iastetn  ApostS- 
cits,  the  Roman  and  Grecian  Churchi^s.  are  standinj^  or  perpetual 
cvideiice  of  the  certainty  .if  prophecy.  The  rise  and  provalenc  of 
French  Atheism,  and  the  fall  of  the  Be.ist.  are  very  strong;  evidence 
that  holy  men  (*f  old  spoke  as  they  wt  re  insved  by  the  Spirit  of  God. 
Ai  d  the  death  of  Christ. fiuir  liun^lred  and  uinety  pi  nphetic  years  after 
tlie  going  forth  oithe  couimandment  tiMvbaihl  Jerusalem,  might  help 
to  confirm  our  confidence  in  the  uicre  8ure  word  of  pr(>piiecy.  And,  I 
might  add,  that,  what  h;;s  hnen  done  already  towards  cleansing  the 
Si'nctuary  ;  the  Spirit  of  Chiislianity  ;  the  many  Societies  for 
"preaiiing  information  and  Christian  principles,  together  with  the 
laging  wickedness  of  the  present  times,  all  might  help  to  convince 
OS  that  God  is  not  slack  to  perforin  his  promises,  as  some  men  count 
s-lackness. 

But,  after  all  that  God  has  said  and  done  in  the  world,  can  we 
still  dou'  twh.cdicr  or  not  God  will  ever  bring  the  Israelites  into  their 
own  land,  and  finish  cleansing  the  Sanctuary,  and  bring  on  the 
Millennium,  in  its  time  ?  What  more  evidence  do  you  need,  O  ye 
oflittle  faith  .?  How  wonderfully  "  slow  of  heart  men  can  be  to 
believe  all  that  the  Prophets  have  spoken  ?" 

Let  oll.ers  think,  and  feel,  and  say,  and  do,  as  they  mav  ;  the 
friends  of  God,  and  of  the  Millennium,  have  abundant  evidence  to  be- 
lieve tiiat  God  has  arisen  to  shake  terribly  the  earth  :  and  that  he  has 
begun,  and  will  complete  the  cleansing  of  the  Sanctuary,  and  br  ng 
on  the  Millennium  speedily,  in  all  its  beauty,  and  glory,  and  bless- 
edness. The  time  is  close  at  hand  when  the  "•  kingdoms  of  this 
world  are  to  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ  5 
and  he  shall  reign  forever  and  ever."  But  we  now  seem  to  be  liv- 
ingin  the  time  when  we  may  join  the  heavenly  company,  "  saying. 
We  give  thee  thanks,  0  Lord  God  Almighty,  which  art,  and  wast, 
and  art  to  come  ;  because  thou  hast  taken  to  thee  thy  great  power, 
and  hast  reigned.  And  the  nations  were  angry,  and  thy  wrath  is 
come,  and  the  time  of  the  dead,  that  they  should  be  judged,  and  tha-t 
■thou  shouldest  give  reward  unto  thy  servants  the  Prophets,  and  to 
the   Saints,    and   to  them  that  fear  thy  name,    small  and  great?' 


417 

anil  shouldest   destroy  ihem  which   destroy"— or   coirupt — ''  the 
earth."     Rev.  11.  15—18. 

Christians,  ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth  ;  and,  wiiile  the  wicked 
are  disposed  to  do  wickedly,  and  corrupt  the  earth,  it  bt'comcs  you 
to  put  on  the  whole  armor  of  God,  tliat  you  raay  be  able  to  witli- 
stand  the  torrents  of  corruption,  and  press  forward  the  work  ot  the 
Gospel  of  God,  for  the  salvation  of  the  world.  The  time  is  at  hand 
to  try  men's  hearts  ;  and  you  will  have  need  for  every  encourage- 
ment and  consolation  v.'hich  the  Gospel  can  atiord  you  in  this  world. 
The  conflict betweeH  light  and  darkness,  truth  and  falsehood,  rio;ht- 
eousness  and  v/ickedness,  will  be  severe,  but  it  will  be  compara- 
tively short;  and  the  tri'imph  of  truth  and  righteousness,  is  absolutely 
certain.  Although  the  host  of  opposition  may  appear  to  be  ex- 
ceedingly numerous  and  strong,  cstending-throughout  all  Christian 
and  Pagan  nations  ;  yet,  remember  that  God  is  on  your  side  ;  and, 
if  "  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be  against  us?"  The  great  struggle 
will  be  over,  and  the  conquest  gained,  when,  the  battle  of  Gog  and 
Magogis  ended  ;  nothing  then  will  remain  to  be  done,  but  to  im- 
prove the  victory,-  by  pressing  the  Gospel  of  Salvation  earnestly 
over  the  whole  world  ;  while  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  will  give  it 
abundant  success.  The  Jews  will,  then,  in  th6  genuine  Spirit  of 
the  Apostle  Paul,  be  ready  to  join  in  the  benevolent  work  of  xMis- 
sionaries  of  Christ,  to  the  Gentile  regions.  And  the  benighted  sons 
and  daughters  of  Asia  and  Africa,  and  the  islands  of  the  ocean,  that 
iiave  long  sat  in.  the  regions  of  darkness  and  shadow  of  deathj  will 
see  the  sun  of  righteousness  speedily  arise,  with  healing  in  his  wings; 
while  the  hosts  of  ignorance,  superstition,  and  wickedness,  that 
have  for  ages  hovered  around  the  banks  of  the  Ganges,  the  Niger, 
and  the  Nile,  will,  affrighted,  vanish  before  the  rising  sun  ;  and  all 
the  in'Udbitants  of  the  earth  will  soon  see  the  Salvation  of  God. 

Bat,  in  the  n^ean  time,  let  us  be  diligent  and  faithful,  in  every 
good  word  and  work,  even  unto  death  ;  teeling  confident  that  w.e 
shall  not  labor  in  vain.  Although  many  of  us  that  are  now  engaged 
in  the  great  cause  of  God,  may  not  live  to  see  the  Miiiennium  :  yet 
many  of  us  might  live  to  witness  the  return  of  the  Jev.'S,  and  even 
the  battle  of  Go^- and  Magog,  and  a  great  alteration  in  the  world 
The  return  of  the  Jews  into  their  own  Lind,  will  be  a  great  matter, 
in  the  hand  of  God,  for  increasing  the  l.iiih,  and  eiicouraging  the 
hearts,  and  b;^ariug  up  the  hands  of  Christians.  For  the  want  of 
better  information  and  knowledge  of  the  Bible,  the  faith  of  many  is 
weak,  and  their  hands  are  slov/  to  help  on  wt'h  this  heavenly  work, 
of  enlightening  and  Christianizing  the  world.  But  a  kniiwiedge  of 
the  return  of  the  Jews  to  their  own  laud,  wiii  have  a  great  tendency 


4\8 

to  engatje  the  heiuls  andhearts  of  all  sucii,  to  phtaiix  lipht  atid  kianv- 
ledgp  on  the  subject ;  and,  thereby,  many  accessions  will  be  made 
to  the  help  of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty.  And,  on  the  oti'.er  bide,, 
scoHers,  walking  after  theirown  lusts,  and  shuttiiig  tlieir  eyesagiiinst 
the  light,  can  nolongcr  say,  in  the  stupidity  of  their  hearts,  "Where 
iS  the  ;.  romisc  of  his  ctnning  ?  for  sir.ce  the  fathers  ft-!!  asI^Oji.  all 
t!'ir-g->  continue  as  ti-ey  were  from  tlie  beginning  of  the  creation." 
F  li-  the  return  of  thf  Jews,  will  be  attended  with  such  circumsUi.r.C'.s, 
tiiat  the  r.ins;  dull  and  blind  cannot  lielp  seeing  the  alteration  j  at;d 
til  n.f^ll  theargi!!r;ent  and  excuse  they  ever  had,  will  be  refuted  and 
fj?t  aside.  Wiiile  otheri^,  whose  object  i»  to  make  gain,  by  the  igno- 
rance, uncleanress,  and  corruptions  of  mankii)<!,  will  b^  mude  to 
feel  that  their  interests  v.ill  be  disregarded,  aial  will  not  be  pro- 
moted in  these  ways  ;  and  will  be  induced  to  abandon  their  demo- 
ralizing and  coiruptingavocatiens,  and  turn  their  uttentHii  to  some- 
thing, at  least,  less  hurtful  Hnd  poisonous  to  society.  And,  ir.  pro- 
portion as  tiie  powers  of  darkness  and  death  give  way  on  one  side, 
so  the  banners  of  light  and  life,  will  be  raised  on  the  other  side.  Aisd 
I  am  inclined  to  feel  confident  that  every  alteration  of  consequotue 
that  will  take  place  in  the  world,  hereafter,  will  be  such  as  fo  give 
the  (^ospel  some  preponderating  advantage  ',  for  this  is  the  time  of 
cleansing  the  Sanctuary. 

Let  us,  therefore,  never  be  discouraged  by  th.e  hosts  of  abound- 
ing ignorance,  superstition,  and  wickedness,  in  the  worlds  for  "one 
ehaU  chase  a  thousand,  and  len  sh;dl  pu!  ten  tiioasiand  to  fiiglst,-'* 
undvr  the  banners  of  the  Captain  of  Salvation.  We  siioiild  be  ex- 
tremely careful  that  the  weapons  of  our  warfare  be  not  carnal  ;  and 
then  they  will  be  "  mighty,  througli  God,  to  the  pulling  down  o'f 
?tr(j"i;g  holds.-'  And,  though  we  may  not  live  to  seethe  MiUcn. 
Fiium,  yet  we  inay  live  to  da  something  as  workers  together  with  Gody 
in  bii:!ging  that  great  blessing  on  t'oe  world.  And,  when  we  die, 
we  maj^  die  in  the  greater  contentment  and  j)eace,  in  the  hope  and 
expectation  of  leaving  to  tiu;  world  all  the  blessings  of  the  New 
,ien.is^aiem,  and  rising  again  in  the  Vv'ori<i  to  cimie,  to  see  ii  thtre, 
in  its  far  greater  state  (d  glory  and  beauty,  uhich  wiil  still  increase 
forever  and  ever.  There  we  may  hope  to  meet  that  mighty  multi- 
tude that  no  man  can  number,  of  all  nations,  tongue;-.,  and  people. 
tliai  liave  washed  their  robes,  and  made  (hem  wliite  in  the  blood  o: 
the  Lamb.  Aud,  there,  all,  uitli  oiie  accord,  will  join  .he  heavenly 
company,  "saying.  Amen  :  IJieSi-ing,  an(£  ;^'i=>-rv,  juk;  wisdom,  atiU 
thanksgiving,  and  lienor,  and  povr'-.  arid  m  c''    "  ■■■■  (U)(\.  U>i- 

ever  and  ever," 


4i-y 

Let  no  man  turn  it  <icai'  car  ;  for  the  lime  is  at  iiauii.  "  fie 
tliat  is  unjust,  let  liiinbe  unjust  siill  ;  and  lie  that  is  filtliy,  let  him 
lie  liithy  still  ;  am!  he  tiiat  io  righteous,  let  him  he  righteous  still  ; 
and  !»e  that  is  holy,  let  him  be  holy  slitl.  And,  behold,  [  come 
quickly,  and  my  re\vard  is  with  me,  to  give  every  miin  aecoitlmg  as 
his  work  shall  be.  I  am  Aiphaand  Oiiiega,  the  begiani.ng  and  the 
end,  the  first  And  the  last." 

"•  tic  that  testifieth  these  things  aaith,  Sureiy  I  come  qi.iickly.j 
Amen.  Kven  so,  come  Jjord  Jesus.  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesas 
i'^hi'fst  be  witt!  yon  a!!.     Amen." 


THE  END. 


